BV  3790  .S862  1910 
Stone,  John  Timothy,  b 

1868. 
Recruiting  for  Christ 


RECRUITING    FOR    CHRIST 


sy' 


RECRUITING 
FOR      CHRIST 


HAND  TO   HAND   METHODS 
WITH   MEN 


JOHN   TIMOTHY   STONE 

Author  of 
** Footsteps  in  a  Parish" 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London  and  Edinburgh 


*p  Copyright,  1910,  by 

FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  80  Wabash  Avenue 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  St.,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:    100    Princes    Street 


to 

THE  MEN  IN  THE  CHURCH 
OF  CHRIST 


INTRODUCTION 

This  volume  grew  out  of  a  course  of  ad- 
dresses given  in  response  to  the  united  invita- 
tion of  the  Brotherhoods  and  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  of  Chicago.  It  is 
a  practical  and  inspirational  study  of  the  im- 
portance and  methods  of  personal  work, 
adapted  to  modern  life.  The  course  was  given 
during  the  winter  of  1910  to  several  hundred 
active  laymen  representing  largely  the  evangel- 
ical churches. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 
I. 

Motive        .... 

PAGE 
•             13 

11. 

The  Men  to  Reach  . 

•      39 

III. 

Preparation 

.      65 

IV. 

Approach    .         . 

.      87 

V. 

Means  and  Method    . 

.    107 

VI.  An  Early  Church  Illustration    127 

VII.  The  Man  Who  Is   Indifferent    147 

VIII.  Doubt    and    Doubters        .         -173 

IX.  Regaining  Men           .         .         .    195 

X.  Following  up  the  Work    .         '213 


I 

MOTIVE 


"  Never  fear  to  bring  the  sublimest  motive  to  the 
smallest  duty,  and  the  most  infinite  comfort  to  the 
smallest  trouble." — Phillips  Brooks. 

"  Direct,  control,  suggest,  this  day 
All  I  design,  or  do,  or  say; 
That  all  my  powers,  with  all  their  might, 
In  Thy  sole  glory  may  unite." 

— Thomas  Ken. 

"  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence ; 
For  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life." 

—Job  4:  23. 

"  Search  me.  Oh  God,  and  know  my  heart." 

Psalm  139:  23. 

"They  that  are  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." — Daniel  12:  3. 

"  I  need  a  friend  who  knows  me 

So  justly  through  and  through 
He'll  ne'er  misjudge  a  motive, 

Nor  let  me  strain  to  do 
More  work  than  I  can  manage. 

The  work  that  is  not  mine. 
Because  of  vain  ambition. 

Or  conscience  drawn  too  fine." 

COURTENAY   H.    FeNN. 


RECRUITING   FOR    CHRIST 


MOTIVE 

AS  we  enter  upon  a  practical  study  of 
winning  men  to  Christ,  do  we  believe 
that ''  He  that  is  wise  winneth  souls  "  ? 
Do  we  also  believe  that :  "  He  who  converteth 
a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way      xhe  Spirit 
shall   save   a  soul    from   death"?  ^^  ^""^ 

Winning  men  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  He  must  really 
do  the  work  in  us  and  through  us.  The  heart, 
the  hand,  the  life,  the  brain,  may  work  zeal- 
ously, but  if  the  inward  life  is  not  prompted 
by  God's  Holy  Spirit,  our  work  will  not  avail. 
Man  cannot  be  used  simply  through  his  abil- 
ities. His  very  gifts  may  retard  his  influence. 
Genius  without  spirituality  becomes  a  mere  ex- 
hibition. The  man  is  known  for  his  ability 
rather  than  for  his  message.  His  words  have 
not  the  force  of  his  conviction. 
13 


14  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Two  men  spent  a  Sunday  in  New  York  City 
years  ago.  They  desired  to  hear  two  great 
preachers.  Both  heard  one  of  rare  power  in 
the  morning.  One  said :  ''  I  am  going  to  hear 
the  other  man  to-night."  His  friend  rephed : 
"  I  am  going  back  to  hear  this  same  man ;  I 
never  heard  such  genius  nor  Hstened  to  such 
remarkable  utterance.  I  mean  to  go  again  to- 
night." They  met  on  Monday.  "  Did  you 
hear  our  friend  again?  "  ''  Yes,"  was  the  re- 
ply. "  The  evening  sermon  was  more  marvel- 
ous than  the  morning;  I  never  heard  such  a 
man  or  such  sermons.  What  did  you  think  of 
your  man?"  His  companion  quietly  replied: 
''  I  do  not  know  just  what  I  thought  of  the 
sermon,  or  the  man,  but  I  went  back  to  my 
room  in  the  hotel  and  got  down  on  my  knees 
and  asked  God  to  forgive  me  and  make  me  a 
better  man."  The  first  preacher  outclassed  the 
second  in  his  gifts  and  ability !  But  he  was  an 
exhibition ;  the  second  a  Divine  power. 

What  a  man  may  do  for  God  is  not  so  im- 
portant, but  what  God  may  do  with  a  man. 
When  Gideon  accomplished  his  great  work 
with  his  small  band  of  followers,  it  was  not 
Gideon  who  accomplished  it;  it  was  God! 
"  The  Lord  clothed  Himself  with  Gideon." 
The  world  saw  Gideon,  but  "  God  was  Gideon- 


Motive  15 

clothed  " !  God  is  the  great  dynamic.  A  man 
may  see  us  outwardly,  but  only  as  God's  Spirit 
is  within  us  are  we  able  to  win  victories.  Pri- 
marily we  must  gain  this  truth  in  introducing 
our  subject. 

A  long  cable  stretches  before  us,  perfectly 
constructed,  the  central  copper  wire  in  its  place, 
surrounded,  perhaps,  by  gutta  percha,  properly 
encased  and  insulated,  but  this  long  cable  lies 
before  us  dead  and  useless.  At  one  end  there 
is  a  great  dynamo,  at  the  other  end  a  city,  but 
the  cable  between  lies  lifeless  by  itself.  What 
is  needed  ?  Simply  this :  Connect  the  cable 
with  the  dynamo.  Then  connect  it  with  the 
city.  Light,  heat,  power  are  the  result;  the 
city  is  illuminated;  the  city  is  warmed;  the 
wheels  of  machinery  turn.  That  light  means 
knowledge;  that  heat  means  sympathy;  that 
power  means  activity.  The  cable  is  necessary, 
— it  is  the  agent  of  transmission, — it  is  the 
human  soul.  God  is  that  dynamo.  The  city  is 
the  place  of  service.  Man  must  be  trained  for 
service,  but  this  training  cannot  in  itself  avail. 
He  must  receive  the  Divine  indwelling.  How  ? 
By  connecting  his  soul  with  the  Divine  if  he  is 
permanently  to  bless  the  human.  Then  man, 
gifted,  talented,  trained,  is  used  by  God  with 
all   his   willingness,   manliness,   courage,   and 


1 6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

adaptability,  to  do  the  work  of  God.  Without 
this  connection  he  is  simply  the  lifeless  cable, 
brilliant,  separate,  powerless. 

The  first  essential  in  our  thought  is  that  of 
Motive.     Why  do  we  seek  to  win  men?     The 

learned  and  devout  scholar  Bengfel 
Motive  ,        ,  ,  ,  .      ^ 

placed  over  the  entrance  to  his  ora- 
tory: ''What  seek  ye?"  He  wanted  men  to 
face  the  object  of  their  work.  Method,  means, 
and  manner  are  all  secondary  to  motive,  for  we 
are  not  a  class  with  a  subject,  but  men  with  a 
definite  object — a  motive  which  will  inspire 
and  actuate  purpose  and  work.  Specific  mo- 
tive means  universal  light.  "  When  thine  eye 
is  single,  the  whole  body  is  full  of  light."  We 
need  a  concentration  of  aim  which  may  unify 
our  motive  and  centre  it  in  God.  This  will 
give  us  holiness  in  motive,  and  our  work  will 
be  God's  own  work.  We  will  become  "  Co- 
labourers  with  Him." 

Men  have  seldom  been  used  mightily  for  God 
unless  they  have  been  directly  aiming  at  the 
conversion  of  souls.  Such  is  the  Divine  mo- 
tive. When  Jesus  Christ  first  called  men,  that 
was  His  motive  in  calling  them.  "  Follow 
Me,"  He  said,  ''  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of 
men."  Mark  made  it  more  specific  in  his  Gos- 
pel:  "  Follow  Me  and  I  will  make  you  to  he- 


Motive  1 7 

come  fishers  of  men."  That  word  "  become  " 
impHes  instruction  and  development.  Motive 
will  gain  power  by  its  own  motion  and  equip- 
ment. Dr.  Torrey  says :  "  With  a  holy  mo- 
tive, we  must  be  thoroughly  converted,  must 
have  a  love  for  souls,  must  have  a  working 
knowledge  of  the  Bible,  must  pray  much,  and 
be  baptised  by  the  Holy  Spirit."  To  this  may 
be  added  two  other  requisites :  common  sense 
and  common  sympathy. 

Even  with  the  right  motive  we  will  face  vari- 
ous dangers.  There  is  danger  in  the  very 
thing  which  we  seek — numbers! 
Constantly  the  enthusiasm  of  num- 
bers detracts  from  definite  interest  in  individu- 
als. Jesus  Christ  has  won  His  millions.  He 
began  His  work,  however,  by  selecting  in- 
dividuals. Motive,  backed  by  individual  loy- 
alty and  consecrated  sincerity,  is  far  greater  in 
influence  than  numerical  or  material  strength. 
Among  those  disciples  there  was  rugged  man- 
liness and  consecrated  loyalty.  And  from 
among  fishermen  and  tax-gatherers  the 
Saviour  chose  His  men  of  motive,  disregard- 
ing the  human  standards  of  numerical  strength 
and  social  prestige. 

A  very  subtle  danger  may  be  found  within 
our  very  selves.     Unconsciously  selfish  and  am- 


1 8  Recruiting  for  Christ 

bitious,  we  may  desire  personal  praise,  notori- 
ety, general  recognition.  This  danger  may 
lead  to  a  pious  egotism,  an  unconscious  aim  to 
be  known  as  good  men,  as  personal  workers,  as 
gifted  in  winning  others.  We  should  pray  for 
personal  holiness  in  motive.  ''  Search  me.  Oh 
God,  and  know  my  heart."  With  Paul  we  must 
say :  "  Far  be  it  from  me  to  glory  save  in  the 
cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  which 
the  world  has  been  crucified  unto  me  and  I  unto 
the  world." 

The  fact  that  so  large  a  number  of  people  are 

unreached  by  the  Gospel  makes  this  work  most 

necessary.     Churches   have   multi- 

176C6SSitV 

plied,  organisation  has  been  per- 
fected, and  still  very  many,  especially  in  our 
great  cities,  are  entirely  outside  the  Church 
and  apparently  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Church. 
Instead  of  a  discouraging  fact,  this  should  en- 
courage us,  as  the  very  necessity  of  this  work 
is  thus  emphasised. 

Preaching  is  a  Divinely  appointed  means; 
writing  has  its  place,  but  the  personal  word 
must  be  used  as  never  before  if  this  work  is  to 
be  accomplished.  It  is  absolutely  necessary. 
There  is  no  substitute  for  this  personal,  direct, 
and  individual  approach.  The  objections  to 
the  method  are  largely  overstated  and  usually 


Motive  19 

unfair,  based  frequently  upon  an  argument 
defending  the  conventional.  Every  general 
and  personal  excuse  has  and  will  be  given  to 
discredit  this  form  of  activity.  Men  without 
experience  naturally  dread  it,  and  shrink  from 
its  responsibility.  The  excuse  is  not  well 
taken,  because  it  does  not  hold  in  other  things. 
All  questions  of  the  day  are  discussed  directly, 
individually,  personally,  and  practically.  Sym- 
pathy, cooperation,  investment  are  sought  and 
gained  through  personal  approach  and  inter- 
view. The  very  fact  that  this  excuse  exists  in 
itself  reiterates  the  necessity  of  this  very  form 
of  work. 

There  are  immense  numbers  of  men  and 
women  who  cannot  be  reached  in  any  other 
way.  They  have  never  formed  the  habit  of 
church  attendance.  Many  look  upon  the 
Church  as  a  close  corporation.  Many  consider 
it  composed  of  members  who  do  not  desire 
outsiders  or  sinners.  The  Church  as  such  can- 
not reach  these  people.  Only  as  the  individual 
is  approached  personally,  and,  through  sin- 
cere effort,  gradually  won,  can  confidence  be 
established  and  attendance  at  the  House 
of  God  gained.  Our  very  difficulty  is  the 
problem  itself,  and  emphasises  its  dire  ne- 
cessity. 


20  Recruiting  for  Christ 

We  have  alluded  to  the  personal  method  as 
the  one  preferred  by  Christ. 

Although  He  talked  with  the  multitudes  and 
preached  Repentance  and  Forgiveness  of  Sins, 

Importance  still  He  gave  Himself  largely  to 
of  the  work  dealing  with  individuals.  He  ap- 
pealed to  men  as  men.  He  frequently  disre- 
garded the  multitude  and  left  them  to  talk  with 
individuals. 

The  throng  about  Him  was  disregarded 
when  He  spoke  to  an  onlooker  who  had  climbed 
into  a  tree. 

He  stopped  by  a  well-side  to  converse  with  a 
fallen  woman. 

He  made  the  hearts  of  men  ''burn  within 
them  "  as  He  talked  with  them  in  the  roadway, 
giving  His  best  self  to  personal  interview. 

He  selected  His  apostles  one  by  one,  or  two 
by  two, — Matthew,  Philip,  Nathaniel,  James 
and  John,  Peter  and  Andrew.  He  addressed 
Saul  of  Tarsus  as  an  individual  on  that  Damas- 
cus Road.  He  disregarded  the  great  work  in 
Samaria  and  called  Philip  by  name.  He  sent 
him  into  the  Desert,  simply  emphasising  by 
his  errand  the  great  importance  of  this  work, 
for  in  that  Desert  he  was  called  upon  to  talk 
with  an  individual,  and  that  Ethiopian  eunuch 
a  stranger. 


Motive  2 1 

It  is  the  only  effective  way  to  reach  the  en- 

tire  community.     To  reach  all  kinds  and  all 

classes  of  people  by  all  kinds  and       Eflfective- 
1,      1  r  ^T     ,  .  .       ness  of  the 

all    classes    of    men.     Nothmg    is    method 

more  potential  in  winning  men  to  a  change  of 
heart  and  life  than  personal  testimony;  like 
wins  like.  National  distinctions  and  misunder- 
standings are  unknown  when  ''  Greek  meets 
Greek."  Jerry  McAuley  knew  how  to  ap- 
proach a  river  thief,  and  the  man  approached 
understood  his  language  from  the  first  word. 

The  college  student  who  has  thrown  away 
his  chances  and  lost  his  ambition,  immediately 
finds  a  new  hope  when  he  hears  the  personal 
story  of  Mercer.  But  the  method  is  not  con- 
fined to  '*  like  meeting  like."  Through  this 
method  the  natural  adaptabilities  of  men  have 
fair  play.  The  man  whom  one  finds  unap-. 
proachable  is  approached  easily  by  another. 
The  effectiveness  of  this  method  is  not  only 
seen  in  business,  but  has  actually  become  the 
essential  principle  of  business  activity.  It  is 
the  modern  method  in  business,  as  well  as  in 
political  life. 

A  large  share  of  the  work  at  one  time  ac- 
complished within  a  warehouse  or  storeroom  is 
now  accomplished  hundreds  or  thousands  of 
miles   away    from  the  business  centre.     The 


22  Recruiting  for  Christ 

work  is  largely  done  through  the  personal  in- 
terview of  buyer  and  seller.  The  salesman 
with  samples,  blue-prints,  or  catalogues  takes 
the  place  of  long  journeys  and  hours  of  selec- 
tion. 

In  many  cases  even  these  are  lacking,  and  the 
simple  personal  testimony  of  trusted  agents 
and  representatives  is  enough.  Insurance, 
bonds,  investments  of  all  kinds,  are  to-day  re- 
lated to  this  form  of  transaction.  In  many 
cases  a  signature  is  substituted  for  a  face  or 
personality.  A  man's  name  wins  confidence, 
gains  prestige,  sells  goods. 

Political  life  is  filled  with  these  methods. 
Organizations,  corporations,  as  well  as  plat- 
forms. State  and  National  interests,  all  have 
their  representatives,  and  do  not  hesitate  to 
press  their  claims  personally,  whether  in  office, 
lobby,  or  on  the  street. 

This  is  not  confined  simply  to  selfish  ends  and 
aims.  Moral  reforms,  from  temperance  is- 
sues to  questions  of  public  education,  opinions, 
votes,  signatures,  are  personally  solicited.  This 
very  principle  has  entered  law  and  medicine. 
Many  of  our  young  attorneys  in  city  life  are 
detailed  by  larger  firms  to  special  and  individual 
interviews  in  the  creation  of  public  sentiment. 
We  have  specialists  at  law  who  are  sought  for 


Motive  23 

individual  opinion.  A  well-stocked  law  li- 
brary of  half-calf  is  not  to-day  sufficient,  but 
the  clear-cut,  alert,  personal  opinion  of  the  liv- 
ing local  man  has  weight  in  convincing  and 
winning  other  opinions. 

The  physician  is  not  so  much  the  general 
practitioner,  especially  where  great  masses  of 
men  accumulate  and  centre ;  and,  in  cases  of  ex- 
treme illness,  even  the  rural  district  must  have 
the  consultation  of  the  individual  who,  as  a 
specialist,  is  an  authority. 

When  we  come  into  the  realm  of  active  busi- 
ness life,  not  simply  the  work  of  the  salesman, 
but  in  the  organisation  of  the  modern  office, 
it  is  far-reaching,  so  far  as  the  individual  touch 
is  concerned.  There  is  scarcely  a  great  bond 
or  advertising  house  without  the  required  ma- 
chinery to  address  its  mailing  lists.  The  card 
index  has  become  a  great  business  in  itself; 
every  card  represents  an  individual,  tabulated 
so  that  a  complete  record  is  known,  not  only  of 
present  conditions,  but  of  past  transactions. 

The  effectiveness  of  modern  individual 
methods  is  thus  recognised  in  all  lines  of  activ- 
ity.    Why  not  within  the  Church  of  God? 

The  broad  view  of  this  whole  matter  will  not 
narrow  itself  to  membership  solicitation  for 
individual   churches   or   denominations.     Men 


24  Recruiting  for  Christ 

will  be  active  in  winning  men  to  Christ  for 

what  Christ  may  do  with  them.     The  where  of 

their  service  will  not  be  a  matter  of  importance 

compared  with  the  what  of  their  influence  for 

Him;  we  will  be  as  interested  in  their  uniting 

with  other  churches  as  with  our  own. 

Already,  the  effectiveness  of  this  personal 

method  has  received  large  emphasis  in  the  for- 

eig^n  field.     Korea  is  teaching:  us  a 

Foreign  field      "="       .  .     ,  •u\    a  a 

great  lesson  m  her  sensible  demand 

made  upon  converts  to  win  others  to  Christ 

before  being  received  into  active  membership. 

If   this   became   a   condition    of    membership 

throughout  the  Christian  Church,  how  quickly 

our  cities  and  the  entire  country,  to  say  nothing 

of  the  world,  would  be  evangelised! 

If  each  Christian  became  a  centre  from 
which  radii  went  out  to  win  other  souls,  with 
what  infinite  rapidity  and  scope  the  work  would 
develop.  Every  single  individual  would  be- 
come a  centre  from  which  other  individuals 
would  be  reached. 

What  would  this  mean?  Suppose  in  a 
church  of  loo  members,  each  member  should 
win  one  soul  to  Christ  per  week;  this  would 
mean  5,200  people  won  in  a  year.  Suppose 
one-tenth  of  the  membership  in  that  church  of 
100  should  win  one  soul  to  Christ  a  month, 


Motive  25 

this  would  mean  120  won  by  that  church,  or 
the  membership  more  than  doubled  that  year. 

Even  then  90  per  cent,  of  the  church  might 
be  doing  practically  nothing  in  soul-winning. 
Again,  suppose  in  that  church  of  100  members 
6  Communion  services  were  held  per  year ;  sup- 
pose 25  per  cent,  of  the  membership  won  a 
new  member  for  each  Communion  service,  this 
would  mean  150  new  members  added  in  the 
year,  although  three-fourths  of  the  church 
members  were  doing  nothing.  Take  the  work 
of  the  large  church,  any  average  good-sized 
church,  and  see  the  results  you  would  have. 
In  a  church  of  1,000  members,  suppose 
each  member  reached  one  new  member  per 
month,  12,000  would  be  added  in  a  year. 
Some  one  says  "  ridiculous !  "  Well,  then, 
let  us  take  one-tenth  of  the  membership, 
leaving  the  900  doing  nothing,  and  let  100 
members  of  that  church  of  1,000  win  one  mem- 
ber per  month,  then  1,200  would  be  added  per 
year,  or  this  church  would  have  more  than 
doubled  her  membership.  Suppose  one-twen- 
tieth of  the  membership  reached  one  member  at 
each  Communion  service,  i.e.,  once  in  two 
months,  300  new  members  would  be  added  in  a 
year;  in  other  words,  if  95  per  cent,  of  the 
members  of  a  church  of  1,000  did  nothing  in 


26  Recruiting  for  Christ 

soul-winning  and  5  per  cent.,  or  50  of  her 
membership,  reached  one  soul  once  in  two 
months,  300  new  members  would  be  added  to 
that  church  annually.  Suppose  10  men  in  that 
church  reached  one  man  a  month,  120  would  be 
added  in  a  year. 

Over  against  these  suggested  figures  place 
the  actual  facts.  We  have,  upon  the  authority 
of  the  December,  1909,  number  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Review  of  the  World,  the  fact  that 
throughout  the  Evangelical  Churches  of  the 
United  States  an  average  of  two  new  members 
united  upon  confession  of  faith  last  year  for 
each  minister,  while  in  the  foreign  field  forty- 
six  new  members  were  added  for  each  mis- 
sionary. 

The  Church  seems  to  be  ready  for  this 
work.     Within   a    few   years   many   religious 

The  writers    have    emphasised    its    im- 

opportunity  portance,  and  various  text-books 
and  popular  treatises  have  been  published.  In 
presenting  the  subject  practically  and  compre- 
hensively, the  forerunner  of  these  recent  pub- 
lications was  that  masterpiece  of  simplicity  and 
personal  illustration,  edited  by  Henry  Clay 
Trumbull :  ''  Individual  Work  for  Individuals." 
This  man  incarnated  his  theme  and,  perhaps, 
more  than  any  other  Apostle  of  recent  days, 


Motive  27 

first  called  to  the  attention  of  a  thinking  Church 
her  immediate  opportunity  in  this  important 
branch  of  service. 

The  important  books  which  have  followed 
have  been  adapted  to  certain  classes  and  con- 
ditions of  men.  And  through  these  influences 
and  large  emphasis  given  by  press  and  Chris- 
tian organisations,  the  subject  no  longer  needs 
endorsement  and  references.  Men  expect  new 
and  modern  methods.  Everything  is  discussed 
freely  to-day.  Every  fireside  has  become  a 
rostrum,  every  schoolroom  a  debating  club. 
Even  conversation  has  received  new  impetus 
through  argument  and  questioning.  It  is  the 
day  of  the  interrogation  point !  Practical  con- 
clusions are  accepted  as  the  result  of  personal 
and  general  conversation.  Discussions  which 
once  would  have  been  considered  impertinent 
have  become  commonplace. 

Men  are  far  more  approachable  than  for- 
merly.    Religious   questions   have   become    so 
closely  related   to   ethical   theories 
and  moral  issues  that  the  line  of  de-  ^^  ^^° 

marcation  between  the  secular  and  religious,  as 
such,  has  been  erased.  Public  opinion  does  not 
regard  the  ceremonial  garments  as  the  sign 
for  religious  recognition,  although  none  the  less 
loyal  to  the  insignia  of  holy  ofhce,  together  with 


28  Recruiting  for  Christ 

due  regard  for  form  and  ceremony.  There  is 
a  very  genuine  antipathy  to  pretence  and  ex- 
terior in  the  reahsm  of  to-day. 

It  is  also  a  layman's  day.     We  may  disre- 
gard it,  oppose  it,  criticise  it,  but  it  is  none  the 

less  a  fact.  Many  of  our  ablest  lay- 
laymen  1         r 

men  are  to-day  forced  mto  posi- 
tions of  opportunity  and  leadership  in  great 
Christian  movements  which  they  reluctantly  ac- 
cept. Modest  and  retiring  themselves,  they 
are  compelled  by  public  opinion  to  consider 
questions  of  religious  bearing.  The  great  Lay- 
men's Missionary  Movement,  the  Lay  Evangel- 
ical Effort,  the  far-reaching  influence  of  our 
denominational  and  interdenominational  Broth- 
erhoods, the  Forward  Movements  of  our 
Church,  both  missionary  and  philanthropic ;  all 
these  are  offering  new  opportunities  for  indi- 
vidual appeal,  until  the  entire  Christian  world 
seems  alive  and  awake  to  the  definite  personal 
effort  of  man-to-man  Christianity. 

God's  definition  of  sin  differs  from  man's 
definition.  Man  says  sin  is  ''  the  breaking  of 
God's  defini-the  law;  "  God  says  sin  is  "  failure 
tion  of  sin  to  do  the  law."  Simplified,  man 
says  sin  is  ''doing  wrong;"  God  says  sin  is 
"  failing  to  do  right."  "  He  that  knoweth  to 
do  good  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin." 


Motive  29 

Christ's  teaching  constantly  reiterates  this 
thought.  The  parables  of  the  Talents  and  the 
Pounds!  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
throughout  its  entire  deep  meaning,  summing 
up  the  truth  in  that  wonderful  expression: 
'*  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  Me :  Lord, 
Lord,  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father." 
The  saying  of  "  Lord,  Lord  "  and  failing  to 
do  God's  will  condemns.  *'  Inasmuch  as  ye 
did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  My 
brethren,  ye  did  it  not  unto  Me." 

In  concluding,  let  us  draw  attention  to  a  few 
practical  examples  of  our  theme. 

Few  men  have  been  used  more  mightily  than 
Henry  Clay  Trumbull.  How  was  he  led  to 
Christ  ?  He  was  a  business  man  Henry  Clay 
in  Hartford  when  he  received  an^^^"^^^^^ 
earnest  letter  from  a  loving  friend.  **  The 
power  of  one  man  over  another  so  impressed 
him,"  writes  Robert  E.  Speer,  that  "  he  at 
once  began  personal  Christian  effort  for  others, 
which  he  continued  through  life."  He  has 
won  his  tens  of  thousands.  He  has  been  to 
countless  young  men  their  greatest  religious 
teacher. 

Personally  I  remember  that  night  in  the  late 
'8o's,  when  he  spoke  to  us  at  the  Student  Con- 
ference at  Northfield.     As  he  came  forward 


30  Recruiting  for  Christ 

on  the  platform  in  Old  Stone  Hall,  Mr.  Moody 
said  to  him :  "  Don't  give  us  a  lecture  to-night, 
nor  anything  you  have  prepared,  simply  talk 
to  us  out  of  your  life,  tell  us  personal  experi- 
ences you  have  had  in  winning  men  to  Christ." 
None  of  us  who  heard  him  that  night  will  ever 
forget  that  message  of  power  from  a  humble 
heart,  warmed  with  the  love  of  God  and  trained 
in  personal  service.  Some  of  us  date  back  our 
genuine  interest  in  personal  work  to  the  in- 
spiration of  that  evening. 

When  Mr.  Kimberly  of  Boston  hesitated  be- 
fore that  shoe  store  and,  finally  following  his 

Dwight  L.  inipulse,  went  in  and  talked  with 
Moody  Mj-.  Moody,  the  shoe  clerk,  he  was 

used  of  God  to  win  his  hundreds  of  thousands 
through  the  influence  of  his  convert.  A  single 
instance :  Last  summer,  at  the  Student  Confer- 
ence at  Northfield,  Charles  Studd  told  us  of 
Mr.  Moody's  bringing  his  father  to  Christ.  He 
then  told  of  his  brother,  who  came  in  '85  or 
'86  to  America  by  Mr.  Moody's  invitation. 
How  his  brother  talked  with  Mr.  Mott  at  Cor- 
nell. Of  the  telegram  which  his  brother  sent 
to  Mr.  McBurney,  secretary  of  the  New  York 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  as  to  "  the  student  Mott,"  proph- 
esying his  future  influence  in  the  student 
world. 


Motive  3 1 

A  few  days  later  we  learned,  through  Dr. 
Grenfell,  the  influence  Mr.  Moody  had  over 
him  when  he  first  heard  him.  The  world 
knows  how  that  young  physician  of  London 
transferred  his  post  from  Great  Britain  to 
Labrador,  and  we  all  know  the  hold  he  has 
now,  not  only  upon  that  ice-bound  people,  but 
upon  the  hearts  of  Great  Britain  and  America; 
yes,  the  world. 

Even  as  we  discuss  this  subject  we  realise 
the  present  influence  of  personal  Christian  serv- 
ice in  the  colleges  of  this  country,  and  even  as 
we  speak  and  write,  the  echoes  of  the  work  at 
Cornell,  Yale,  and  the  State  universities  of  the 
West,  are  coming  to  our  ears. 

From  his  own  lips  we  heard  Gipsy  Smith  tell 

of  the  old  Methodist  class  leader,  that  won  him 

by   a   personal   word.     When   an- 

\  ill  i,       -i      Gipsy  Smith 

other  muttered  that  he  was      only 

a  gipsy  boy,"  the  old  man's  hand  was  upon  his 

shoulder,  and  a  kindly  word  won  his  heart  as 

he  knelt  at  the  altar.     We  heard  him  tell  how 

General  Booth  singled  him  out  and  called  him 

individually  into  public  service. 

All  of  us  can  give  from  our  own  experience 
illustrations  of  personal  work. 

My  first  pastorate  was  in  Utica,  N.  Y. 
Around  the  corner  from  our  little  church  was 


32  Recruiting  for  Christ 

a  small  saloon  kept  by  a  German  named  "  Ben- 
Personai  nett."  I  found  that  some  of  the 
illustration  older  boys  of  the  Sunday  school 
and  church  were  frequenting  his  little  beer 
room.  Strange  tales  came  of  what  they  were 
doing.  It  did  not  seem  wise  to  ferret  it  out, 
but  to  go  to  the  man  himself.  In  calling  one 
afternoon  I  went  in  and  asked  him  to  come  to 
church.  He  jovially  and  laughingly  replied 
that  "  he  did  not  take  any  stock  in  church,  and, 
of  course,  he  would  not  come,"  but  thanked  me 
for  my  invitation  and  tried  to  be  courteous  by 
offering  me  a  drink.  I  told  him  "  I  did  not 
drink,  but  that  I  was  coming  back  to  invite 
him  again."  After  frequent  personal  invita- 
tions, he  came  one  Sunday  night,  and  then 
again,  and  then  the  third  time,  and,  after  hear- 
ing that  third  gospel  sermon,  he  arose  slowly 
in  an  after-meeting  (for  the  old  man  was  pain- 
fully rheumatic)  and  humbly  and  earnestly 
confessed  Christ ;  and  in  his  broken  tongue  he 
told  how  he  would  destroy  his  liquors  rather 
than  sell  them,  and  he  knew  God  would  give 
him  some  means  of  livelihood  aside  from  the 
business  in  which  he  was  engaged.  Week  after 
week  he  came  into  the  church  a  penitent  and 
devout  worshipper ;  he  was  always  in  his  place 
with  his  family.     Week  after  week  I  marked 


Motive  33 

special  chapters  in  his  old  German  Bible,  which 
he  read  and  reread. 

A  few  years  ago  I  learned  that  the  old  man 
was  dead.  He  had  been  burned  to  death !  He 
had  fallen  on  his  stove,  and  was  too  crippled  to 
save  himself.  But  in  his  last  hours  there  were 
words  of  happy  testimony  of  his  love  to  his 
Lord  and  Master. 

Some  years  ago,  in  another  city,  one  who 
had  listened  to  the  gospel  and  had  been  a  reg- 
ular attendant  in  a  particular  church  for  over 
twenty-five  years,  was  approached  personally, 
and  the  direct  question  of  his  relationship  to 
Christ  presented.  An  appointment  was  made 
late  in  the  evening,  which  was  kept.  It  was  a 
case  of  talking  with  a  man  past  sixty  years  of 
age  and  presenting  to  him  personally  the 
claims  of  the  gospel.  Nominally,  he  was 
recognised  as  a  Christian,  for  he  was  a  reg- 
ular attendant  at  the  House  of  God,  but  in 
reality  he  had  not  given  his  heart  to  Christ. 
After  earnest  words  of  invitation  and  appeal 
he  yielded,  stating  ''  he  would  rather  face  the 
Northern  bullets  ( for  he  had  been  a  soldier  in 
the  Confederate  Army)  than  to  stand  before 
the  Church  of  Christ  and  make  public  con- 
fession ;"  but  he  stood  there,  and  was  baptised. 
How  well  I  can  see  his  intense,  impressive  face, 


34  Recruiting  for  Christ 

and  note  again  the  trembhng  of  his  Hmbs !  But 
that  pubhc  testimony  led  many  a  man  to  see 
his  own  opportunity  and  obHgation,  as  was  evi- 
denced in  years  to  come.  More  than  one  who 
joined  that  church  afterward  dated  his  interest 
to  that  man's  confession. 

I  close  with  an  incident  from  boyhood.  It 
was  my  first  experience.  We  were  trading 
postage  stamps  together  in  the  little  hall  bed- 
room which  I  occupied  in  my  father's  home. 
In  the  Albany  Y.  M.  C.  A.  rooms,  at  20  North 
Pearl  Street,  a  few  of  us  boys  had  listened  to 
older  ones  talk  of  the  blessing  of  personal 
work,  and  had  resolved  we  would  try  to  win 
some  of  our  boy  friends  to  Christ.  How  well 
I  remember  that  night.  My  sisters  and  some 
of  their  friends  were  having  a  good  time  down- 
stairs, and  once  or  twice  called  for  us  to  come 
down.  We  kept  on  trading  stamps,  until,  at 
last,  I  plucked  up  enough  courage  to  say  to 
my  friend :  "  Jim,  why  don't  you  become  a 
Christian?  "  If  I  had  hurled  the  stamp  album 
out  of  the  window,  he  would  not  have  been 
more  surprised.  I  know  my  voice  trembled 
and  that  what  I  said  did  not  amount  to  any- 
thing. The  verses  which  I  quoted  were  not 
quoted  exactly  right  in  my  embarrassment,  but 
he  saw  my  heart,  and  God  honoured  the  effort, 


Motive  35 

and  there  in  that  little  room,  two  of  us  boys 
in  knee  trousers  asked  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  help  us  live  aright,  and  he  gave  his  heart  to 
Christ. 

Later  he  became  a  honoured  worker  in  one 
of  the  Baptist  churches,  and  now,  in  a  distant 
city,  he  still  works  on  in  his  home,  loving  the 
same  Lord  and  ever  growing  nearer  into  His 
likeness. 

A  postal  card  does  not  mean  much,  but  the 
card  which  I  received  from  Jim  last  Christmas 
morning  meant  much  to  me,  for  it  brought 
back,  as  such  tokens  always  do,  the  memory 
of  that  beginning^  which  was  made  in  boyhood. 
That  verse,  "  In  thy  presence  is  fulness  of 
joy,"  never  means  so  much  as  when  we  learn 
its  meaning  in  the  companionship  we  have  with 
Him  in  personal  service. 


II 

THE  MEN  TO  REACH 


"  And  there  went  out  with  him  a  band  of  men,  whose 
hearts  God  had  touched."—/  Sam.  lo:  26. 

"  Moses  chose  able  men  out  of  all   Isv^LtX.— Exodus 
18:  25. 

*'  And  they  said  unto  Elisha,  Behold  now,  there  are 
with  thy  servants  fifty  strong  men." — //    Kings  2:  16. 

"  But  the  Lord  said  unto  Ananias,  Go  thy  way,  for 
he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  Me." — Acts  g:  15. 

"  God  give  us  men !     A  time  like  this  demands 
Strong  minds,  great  hearts,  true  faith,  and  ready  hands. 
Men  whom  the  lust  of  office  does  not  kill, 
Men  whom  the  spoils  of  office  cannot  buy, 
Men  who  possess  opinions,  and  a  will. 
Men  who  have  honour,  men  who  will  not  lie. 
Men  who  can  stand  before  a  demagogue 
And  damn  his  treacherous  flatteries  without  winking. 
Pure  men,  sun-crowned,  who  live  above  the  fog 
In  public  duty  and  in  private  thinking." 

—J.  G.  Holland. 


II 

THE  MEN  TO  REACH 

CHRIST  died  for  all  men,  for  all  classes 
of  men,  for  all  kinds  of  men. 

Before    we    touch    the    subject    of 
Method,  let  us  deal  with  this  subject  of  Men. 

Three  general  divisions  are  recognised  :  Con- 
structive work,  which,  in  itself,  is  preventive; 
general    work,    or    working    amid      Kinds  of 
one's    own    surroundings;    rescue   ™®^ 
work,  generally  known  as  working  among  the 
slums  and  with  the  fallen. 

In  working  among  this  latter  class  there  is, 
aside  from  natural  fascination,  a  very  apparent 
condition  of  urgent  need.  Immediately  every 
heart  responds  and  universal  human  sympathy 
unites  in  the  cry:  ''Save  the  lost!"  Our 
Saviour's  very  words  encourage  us :  ""  I  was  a 
hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsty, 
and  ye  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye 
took  me  in:  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me:  I  was 
sick,  and  ye  visited  me :  I  was  in  prison,  and 
ye  came  unto  me." 

39 


40  Recruiting  for  Christ 

The  other  two  classes  are  not  so  popular 
in  our  consideration,  and  still  are  relatively 
of  far  greater  importance  when  we  consider 
the  practical  motive  of  our  study  and  the  end 
we  have  in  view. 

Taking  up  our  first  line  of  study,  the  con- 
structive and  preventive  work,  we  primarily 
consider  the  child, — the  man  when  he  is  a  boy. 
The  percentage  of  those  who  are  won  to  Christ 
in  childhood  is  very  great.  Those  who  have 
studied  the  question  carefully  give  us  facts 
and  figures.  From  the  ages  of  eight  and  nine 
there  is  a  gradual  increase  to  ten  and  eleven, 
then  an  extremely  rapid  increase  to  sixteen,  a 
decline  to  twenty,  a  greater  decline  to  thirty, 
and  conversions  are  very  rare  after  that  time. 
With  girls,  the  average  age  of  conversion  is 
from  fourteen  to  sixteen,  and  with  boys  it  is 
from  sixteen  to  seventeen,  although  a  large 
number  are  reached  earlier  than  either  date. 

Many  of  our  church  organisations,  recog- 
nising this  condition,  systematically  aim  to 
reach  the  child  through  the  direct 
church  channel;  hence,  in  the  Ro- 
man Catholic,  the  Lutheran,  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  churches,  and  others,  the  ''  confirma- 
tion "  formally  reaches  the  child  at  an  early 
age.     The  opinion  is  prevalent,  however,  espe- 


Childhood  *^ 


The  Men  to  Reach  41 

cially  among  non-liturgical  churches,  that  a 
child  should  not  be  brought  face  to  face  with 
this  great  decision  for  Christ  until  childhood 
has  ripened  into  manhood,  and  boyish  fancies 
deepened  into  mature  thought.  Here  we  are 
making  a  senseless  error:  the  greatest  im- 
pressions of  our  lives  are  the  impressions  of 
childhood.  We  are  at  the  impressionable  age. 
The  Saviour  Himself  said :  '*  Except  ye  be  con- 
verted, and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  The 
child-like  spirit  every  great  man  in  Christ's 
service  must  possess.  Many  a  child,  far  below 
the  age  named,  is  perfectly  ready  to  accept 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  fulness  of  loyal,  loving 
obedience. 

This  very  work  with  boys  is  a  most  under- 
estimated work.  We  lose  our  men  because  we 
do  not  win  them  at  the  very  time  they  are  be- 
coming men.  Within  our  very  homes  and  in 
our  Sunday-school  classes,  and  under  the  will- 
ing care  of  the  Church,  we  let  them  slip  into 
manhood  unsaved,  at  the  very  time  when,  with 
the  least  expenditure  of  time  and  energy,  we 
might  win  them  for  Hfe. 

The  Sunday  school  is  comparatively  a  recent 
institution.  It  dates  back  only  130  years. 
Next  year  will  be  the  anniversary  year  of  the 


42  Recruiting  for  Christ 

death  of  its  founder, — Robert  Raikes.     Since 
Sunday       ^^  gathered  those  poor  children  of 
school  the   Cathedral  City  of  Gloucester 

together  in  1780,  this  great  world-wide  move- 
ment of  Christendom  has  organised  for  us  the 
children  of  the  Church  Universal.  His  work 
was  for  the  children  of  the  street.  Ours  has 
become  a  work  for  the  children  of  the  house 
as  well.  The  world  text-book  of  the  Sunday 
school  is  the  Word  of  God.  The  accepted 
standard  of  the  teacher  should  be  his  qualifica- 
tion to  teach  God's  Word  and  lead  in  spiritual 
instruction.  Are  we  winning  our  boys  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? 

As  we  consider  the  men  whom  we  are  to 
reach,  are  we  not  convinced  now  where  our 
greatest  field  is  ?  What  the  hoy  is 
the  man  zvill  be.  We  have  the 
chance  with  the  boy;  are  we  using  it?  Ten 
years  from  to-night  the  boys  of  Chicago  will  be 
the  greatest  human  asset  this  city  has;  hence, 
what  our  city  is  to  be  twenty  years  from  now 
depends  upon  the  boy  of  to-day.  The  boy 
problem  is  in  reality  the  man  problem.  It  is 
rightly  termed  '"  The  Problem  of  the  Future/' 
Are  we  winning  the  boys  and  girls  to  Jesus 
Christ? 

We  are  great  boasters  that  "  this  is  a  man's 


The  Men  to  Reach  43 

age."  As  we  quote  those  words  of  KipHng, 
''  We  are  neither  children  nor  Gods,  but  men  in 
a  world  of  men,"  do  we  realise  that  that  "  world 
of  men  "  is  a  world  of  ''  boy  men/'  as  well  as 
men  who  vote  ?  We  would  not  be  boys  again, 
for  as  men  we  can  win  boys  far  better  if  we 
gain  their  spirit  and  value  their  worth. 

It  is  very  easy  to  gain  human  sympathy  for 
the  man  who  has  fallen  from  a  high  building, 
or  who  has  met  with  disaster,  or  accident.  We 
are  never  too  busy  to  take  the  time  to  call  an 
ambulance;  but  we  seem  too  busy  to  build  a 
fence  to  prevent  the  man  from  falling!  To 
give  the  boy  strength  of  limb,  courage  of  self- 
reliance,  and  intelligent  insight  will  give  him 
the  ability  to  live  without  falling.  This  prin- 
ciple touches  the  whole  great  question  of  re- 
form, and  is  the  actual  expedient  in  relieving 
the  destitute.  We  realise  it  is  far  better  to  tax 
our  cities  that  we  may  have  the  best  school 
system,  than  to  tax  them  for  reformatory 
asylums  and  jails !  It  is  the  same  principle  in- 
terpreted in  practical  civic  economy.  Why  not 
deal  with  the  individual  boys  in  winning  them 
to  Christ  ? 

This  department  of  our  subject  touches  an- 
other great  field  of  opportunity — that  of  the 
young  men  who  are  getting  a  start  in  life. 


44  Recruiting  for  Christ 

There  are  sections  of  this  city  and  of  every 
great  city,  where  tens  of  thousands  of  young 
men  may  be  found  in  rooming  houses  within  a 
radius  of  half  a  mile.  Walk  north,  south, 
east  or  west,  any  evening  at  the  closing  hours 
of  the  offices  and  stores.  Take  the  surface  cars 
or  the  elevated,  and  note  the  great  throngs 
of  young  people  centring  here.  Very  many 
of  them  are  away  from  home,  without  friends, 
subject  to  the  natural  instinct  of  companion- 
ship and  friendship.  They  are  accessible,  they 
are  impressionable,  and  they  are  the  men  of 
the  future.  Most  of  them  are  here  through 
self-denial,  willingly  submitting  to  conditions 
of  material  discomfort  in  order  to  make  their 
way  in  the  world.  They  are  solicited  con- 
stantly by  the  forces  of  evil.  They  are  sub- 
jected to  personal  and  fascinating  temptations. 
They  are  controlled  largely  by  ambitions  which 
centre  in  industrial  and  commercial  advance; 
but  they  are  responsive  to  that  which  is  high- 
est and  best  if  they  are  sanely  and  sympa- 
thetically approached,  but  we  will  take  up  this 
subject  again. 

Our  subject  also  touches  the  great  student 

world.     More  men  are  studying-  in 
Students  ,  .    ,  ,  .  i  , 

higher      education      to-day     than 

ever  before.     Not  many  years  ago  one-half  of 


The  Men  to  Reach 


45 


one  per  cent,  of  the  young  men  of  this  coun- 
try were  in  colleges  and  universities ;  to-day  the 
percentage  is  far  greater.  Not  only  educa- 
tional schools  and  colleges,  but  our  great  State 
and  National  institutions  and  universities  have 
awakened  educational  interest.  Commerce  and 
science  have  united  in  the  splendid  competition 
of  present-day  development.  Many  lines  of 
business  life  to-day  are  not  open  to  the  man 
who  is  not  intelligently  equipped.  The  criti- 
cism that  educated  men,  trained  in  higher  study, 
are  not  practical  men  is  becoming  obsolete. 

In  this  great  student  world  there  is  an  un- 
limited opportunity  for  personal  work.  This 
is  closely  related  to  our  boy  problem.  If  the 
young  men  from  our  homes,  Sunday  schools, 
and  churches  have  gained  the  spirit  of  evangel- 
ism, and  have  been  won  not  only  to  Christ, 
but  to  Christian  service,  they  become  the  great 
communicating  mediums  of  power  to  others. 
They  become  "  cities  set  upon  a  hill  "  in  their 
various  college  communities.  They  become 
centres  of  radiating  influence  for  Christ  among 
the  men  who  are  to  be  the  leaders  in  the  world. 

The  great  student  movements  to-day,  such  as 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
Student  Volunteer  Movement,  are  encouraging 
these  very  men  in  all  kinds  of  personal  en- 


46  Recruiting  for  Christ 

deavour.  Many  of  these  students  are  pecuH- 
arly  susceptible  to  reHgious  response  when  at 
home  on  vacation.  They  have  been  away  from 
the  home  surroundings,  they  have  been  amid 
other  scenes,  they  are  appreciative  of  their  priv- 
ileges as  they  compare  their  lives  with  those 
who  have  not  had  the  option  of  study.  They 
are  willing  to  think  upon  this  subject  if  it  is 
naturally  and  wisely  presented.  And  then 
there  are  numberless  students  from  other 
homes  in  our  midst.  Frequently,  in  parish 
calling,  we  find  whole  houses  given  over  to 
students.  In  a  single  block  recently  thirteen 
students  were  found  in  one  house,  ten  in  an- 
other, and  fourteen  in  a  third.  They  were 
cordial,  responsive,  appreciative,  and  several 
from  those  very  houses  have  become  interested 
through  the  influence  of  one  young  man. 

There  are  men  who  quietly,  but  faithfully, 
seek  out  just  such  young  men,  gain  their  con- 
fidence, invite  them  to  their  homes,  and  win 
them  to  Christ.  There  are  medical  colleges 
where  medical  men,  physicians,  can  have  pe- 
culiar access  to  the  hearts  of  medical  students. 
There  are  law  schools  where  a  lawyer  can  ap- 
proach with  winsome  propriety  the  individual 
student,  if  he  will  make  the  effort.  There  are 
business  colleges  where  a  business  man  could 


The  Men  to  Reach  47 

immediately  win  confidence  with  individuals, 
and  later  win  souls. 

Another  phase  of  preventive  work  is  found 
in  the  young  family.  Never  a  time  in  all  the 
world  when  a  young  father  is  more  apprecia- 
tive of  attention  and  congratulation  than  when 
he  realises  his  fatherhood.  He  may  have  been 
indifferent  to  spiritual  matters,  but  there  has 
come  into  being  in  his  own  soul  a  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility other  than  that  he  has  previously 
felt,  and  he  begins  to  think  of  his  child's  wel- 
fare rather  than  his  own.  Wise,  inspiring 
friendship  will  win  that  home  to  religious  life, 
and  it  is  worth  all  the  time  it  takes  and  the 
price  of  every  sacrifice.  Let  us  win  men  when 
they  have  their  whole  lives  to  give,  when  their 
hearts  are  plastic  and  their  minds  open.  I 
would  rather  spend  an  evening  in  winning  such 
a  life  and  home  to  Christy  than  to  receive  the 
public  applause  of  thousands  in  a  vast  audience 
where  an  address  might  result  merely  in  a 
pleasing  appreciation. 

We  now  take  up  the  general  class,  or  work- 
ing with  those  round  about  us.  In  aiming  to 
reach  certain  kinds  of  men  we  are  nen 
apt  to  overlook  the  fact  that  the  around  us 
men  whom  we  are  most  liable  to  reach  are  the 
men  of  whom  we  see  the  most.     If  a  man  is  a 


48  Recruiting  for  Christ 

genuine  Christian,  his  greatest  influence  is 
where  he  Hves  and  works.  If  his  hfe  is  in- 
sincere and  selfish,  that  is  not  true.  Many  a 
man  has  carelessly  and  wrongly  used  the 
passage :  "  A  prophet  is  not  without  honour, 
save  in  his  own  country,  and  in  his  own  house." 
Undoubtedly  it  is  far  easier  for  us  to  work 
among  strangers  than  with  friends.  Novelty 
is  always  attractive.  The  other  stream  than 
the  one  in  which  we  fish  always  has  the  reputa- 
tion for  trout.  Yesterday  is  reported  to  have 
been  a  remarkable  day,  and  to-morrow  has  the 
unverified  certainty  of  distance.  The  "  en- 
chanted land  "  is  just  ahead,  or  just  a  few 
miles  away.  ''  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of 
Damascus,  are  they  not  better  than  all  the 
waters  of  Israel,  may  I  not  wash  in  them  and 
be  clean?"  But  this  is  all  fallacy,  the  real 
opportunity  of  a  man  is  where  he  is,  his 
greatest  chance  is  the  present  chance  near 
at  hand. 

A  bank  clerk  can  win  bank  clerks  to  Christ 
better  than  an  outsider,  if  he  is  true  and  real, 
and  if  he  is  a  man's  man  with  Christ's  man- 
hood. 

An  insurance  man  can  reach  an  insurance 
man  or  the  boys  in  the  office.  The  salesman 
can  reach  a  salesman.     Some  Christian  trav- 


The  Men  to  Reach  49 

elling  men  to-day,  one  or  two  in  particular, 
have  won  not  only  their  hundreds,  but  their 
thousands  to  Jesus  Christ. 

How  well  I  remember  a  wall-paper  man  who 
was  converted  in  central  New  York  many  years 
ago.  For  years  he  had  lived  a  careless,  sinful 
life.  He  gave  his  entire  heart  to  Christ,  and 
immediately  began  to  work  for  Him.  His  Bi- 
ble went  into  his  grip  wherever  he  went,  and 
was  constantly  read.  One  night,  in  a  Syra- 
cuse hotel,  four  or  five  companions  were  with 
him.  They  said :  "  Boys,  let's  go  out  and  have 
a  night  of  it !  "  A  couple  of  them  linked  their 
arms  in  his  and  said,  "  Come  on,"  calling  him 
by  his  first  name.  Answering,  he  said,  ''  Let 
me  show  you  something,"  and  pulled  out  of  his 
pocket  a  letter  from  a  grandchild.  Handing 
it  to  the  ring-leader,  he  said :  "  Jim,  read  that !  " 
The  letter  was  in  a  child's  hand :  *'  Dear  Grand- 
father, we  are  so  happy  that  you  have  Jesus 
and  have  started  for  Him.  Mother  told  me 
you  had  the  Bible  in  your  grip.  Baby  says  her 
prayers  for  you  every  night.  Please  come  and 
see  me."  And  then  a  baby's  signature. 
"  Boys,"  he  said,  ''  I  am  on  a  different  track; 
I  am  going  up  to  read  the  old  Book,  and  be- 
fore I  go  to  bed  I  am  going  to  pray  for  you 
fellows.     I  wish  you  knew  how  happy  I  am. 


50  Recruiting  for  Christ 

I  wish  you  knew  what  it  was  to  have  this  kind 
of  happiness."  His  words  went  home.  Al- 
though a  Christian  but  a  few  months,  that  man 
had  begun  to  win  souls  to  Jesus  Christ  among 
the  men  with  whom  he  worked. 

A  banker  in  one  of  our  cities  was  unpopular 
with  all  the  men  in  the  office, — unconsciously 
so.  One  day  he  expressed  the  opinion  that 
he  would  love  to  do  Christian  work  in  a  rescue 
mission  or  in  the  church  prayer  meeting.  His 
pastor  suggested,  with  frank  definiteness,  that 
he  might  begin  to  do  some  work  in  his  bank 
among  some  of  the  popular  young  fellows  who 
were  subject  to  great  temptations.  He  was  man 
enough  to  see  the  point  and  took  the  hint. 
Within  a  few  days  he  called  one  of  the  clerks 
into  his  private  office  and,  after  closing  the 
door,  told  him  that  he  had  not  taken  as  much 
interest  in  him  as  he  should !  That  he  remem- 
bered years  ago,  when  the  lad's  mother  died, 
she  had  spoken  to  his  wife  of  the  interest  she 
hoped  they  would  both  take  in  the  boy.  He 
told  him  he  did  not  know  that  he  had  seen 
him  in  church,  but  wished  he  would  take  a 
place  in  their  pew.  He  wanted  him  to  know 
that  he  cared  personally  for  his  spiritual  con- 
dition, and  was  grateful  when  he  looked  at  his 
own  boy  that  his  mother  had  been  spared  to 


The  Men  to  Reach  51 

him,  and  not  taken  from  him,  as  his  had  been. 
Before  they  left  that  office,  that  manly  banker 
put  the  catch  on  his  door  and  in  a  simple, 
earnest  prayer  asked  God  to  bless  the  lad.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  tell  the  rest  of  the  story,  but 
that  young  man  is  to-day  a  power  in  that  bank, 
and  is  winning  many  of  those  other  fellows  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Why  should  we  continue  praying  that  God 
would  show  us  "  Harvest  Fields "  when  he 
has  placed  us  in  grain  that  is  higher  than 
our  heads,  and  every  grain  yellow  to  the 
harvest  ? 

A  teacher  may  have  a  marvellous  personal  in- 
fluence with  the  men  in  his  class  if  he  is  will- 
ing to  exert  it.  A  lawyer  may  invite  many  a 
colleague  to  the  House  of  God  or  the  place 
of  prayer,  where  the  invitation  would  be 
spurned  if  it  came  from  another.  A  letter- 
carrier  has  a  great  chance  to  say  the  word  for 
Christ  to  his  companion  when  they  are  starting 
out  on  the  route  or  waiting  to  sort  the  mail. 
A  motorman  or  conductor  has  many  a  chance 
for  slipping  in  the  right  word  when  they  are 
waiting  to  take  their  cars.  An  insurance  man 
has  countless  opportunities  to  solicit  souls  for 
Jesus  Christ,  even  when  at  times  he  may  not 
be  successful  in  writing  new  policies.     A  con- 


52  Recruiting  for  Christ 

secrated  farmer  can  transform  a  township  in 
his  generation  if  he  hves  and  acts  for  Christ 
just  where  he  is. 

How  about  special  united  efforts?     The  re- 
vival has  its  place,  but  the  best  kind  of  a  re- 

Speciai        vival  is  the  kind  which  takes  place 
meetings  r^     ^  c       i 

Special  efforts  "fty-t WO     Sundays     m     a     year, 

through  the  regular  channels  of  the  Church 
and  its  various  organisations.  It  is  not  com- 
mendable for  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  or  an 
officer  or  member  of  a  church  to  be  more  pop- 
ular or  more  effective  as  a  public  or  private 
speaker  in  other  communities  than  his  own.  A 
man  with  one  speech  may  make  a  favourable 
impression  in  fifty  places  if  the  speech  is  a 
good  one,  but  he  may  have  lost  the  power  to 
make  a  second  speech  of  any  value  in  his  own 
home!  Superficiality  tends  to  roaming,  just 
as  insincerity  tends  to  discontent.  The  pur- 
poseless life  is  the  story  of  the  child  of  the 
fable,  "  chasing  the  rainbow."  His  chase  is 
visionary  and  he  fails  to  see  the  blended  colours 
which  he  seeks  in  the  very  light  in  which  he 
lives.  There  is  a  great  place  for  the  special 
effort,  for  the  combined  activities  of  the  Church 
in  re-awakening  movements,  but  the  maximum 
opportunity  is  in  the  ordinary  and  common- 
place. 


The  Men  to  Reach  53 

**  Old  friends,  old  scenes, will  lovelier  be, 
As  more  of  heaven  in  each  we  see. 
The  trivial  round,  the  common  task, 
Will  furnish  all  we  ought  to  ask." 

Acting  upon  this  very  principle,  every  man 
of  us  has  an  immediate  definite  opportunity  of 
accompHshing  great  things  for  God.  We  may 
"  Go  home  to  our  friends  and  tell  them  what 
great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  us." 

This  winning  of  men  round  about  us  to 
Jesus   Christ  should  begin  in  our  homes.     I 

wonder  how  many  of  us  have  chil- 
,  -        ,  .  ,        ,  At  home 

dren,  sons,  daughters,  wives,  broth- 
ers, and  sisters  unconverted?  No  doubt  it 
may  be  the  hardest  proposition  we  can  face  to 
speak  to  them,  and,  perhaps,  before  we  should 
speak  to  them  or  could  speak  to  them  with  any 
influence,  there  are  deeds  and  words  and  feel- 
ings in  our  hearts  which  must  be  overcome. 

A  friend  of  mine  once  testified  that  he  be- 
gan his  personal  Christian  service  in  soul- 
winning  by  asking  his  sister  if  she  would  give 
her  heart  to  Christ.  It  was  a  lonely  road 
along  which  they  were  going  home  together 
from  the  meeting.  He  knew  she  had  been 
touched,  but  was  unwilling  to  yield.  Again 
and  again  he  tried  to  speak  to  her.  Finally, 
with  faltering  voice  and  broken  sentence,  he 


54  Recruiting  for  Christ 

abruptly  asked  her  if  she  would  not  give  her 
heart  to  Christ,  that  he  had  been  praying  for 
her.  She  burst  into  tears  with  the  reply,  that 
"  she  had  been  waiting  years  for  him  to 
speak."  There  they  stood  in  the  night  to- 
gether. She  began  a  Christian  life,  which  has 
been  increasingly  useful  and  abundant  through- 
out the  years. 

The  most  impressive  word  of  testimony 
spoken  at  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Moody  was  the 
statement  of  his  son  that,  although  their  father 
had  many  times  lost  patience  with  them  (a 
fault  which  was  always  corrected  in  quick 
apology  and  loving  spirit),  yet  he  himself  had 
won  each  of  his  children  personally  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

From  the  great  mission  field  of  Korea, 
where,  a  little  over  twenty  years  ago.  Dr. 
Horace  Underwood  kneeled  with  seven  Chris- 
tians in  that  heathen  land,  the  sole  constituents 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  there  are  to-day 
150,000  Christians,  and  their  aim  is  1,000,000 
souls  for  Christ  this  year.  Thus  they  are 
teaching  the  lesson  of  doing  God's  work  at 
home. 

Some  of  the  richest  mineral  lands  have  been 
sold  for  a  mere  pittance  as  worthless,  simply 
because  the  surface  soil  was  undesirable  for  the 


The  Men  to  Reach  55 

planter;  beneath  the  apparent  barrenness  of 
many  of  our  surroundings  there  is  the  rich 
mine  of  priceless  value  if  we  will  but  gain  the 
sub-soil  by  deepening  the  purpose  and  effort  of 
our  lives. 

"  He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lost."  Few  of  us  as  Christian  men  have 
not  been  deeply  moved  by  the  sad  The  out- 
scenes  where  the  wretched  and  for-  work 
lorn  have  sought  the  power  of  religion.  The 
heart  responds  quickly  to  the  eager  look  of 
the  castaway  as  he  sees  a  long- forgotten  ray  of 
hope.  Hollow  eyes,  weakened  features, 
flushed  faces,  and  filthy  and  ragged  garments : 
all  these  appeal  to  us  universally,  and  when 
fancy  reads  into  these  conditions  the  all  too 
real  facts  of  half -starved  children,  cold  des- 
olate homes,  broken  furniture,  and  broken 
hearts,  our  sympathy  becomes  extremely  prac- 
tical, and  we  say:  "Of  course  we  will  work 
in  the  missions,  only  give  us  the  chance."  What 
a  blessing  comes  from  such  service!  How 
many  of  us  have  gained  that  blessing?  How 
many  of  us  are  working  or  have  worked  in  any 
of  the  missions,  great  or  small,  in  our  city? 
Might  I  add  the  question  of  how  many  of  us 
will  visit  and  encourage  this  noble  work?  Yet 
we  all  believe  in  this  form  of  work  and  have 


^6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

seen,  perhaps  many  times,  blessed  results  from 
it.  From  the  earliest  history  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  this  work  has  been  honoured  of 
God.  It  was  in  a  little  mission  room  in 
Rome  which  Paul,  the  prisoner,  had  himself 
hired,  in  which  he  spoke  to  Onesimus, 
the  runaway  slave.  I  can  see  this  crim- 
inal, a  fugitive  from  justice,  lost  in  the  tens 
of  thousands  of  runaway  slaves  of  Rome,  him- 
self a  despised  Phrygian  slave,  as  he  slunk  into 
a  back  seat  as  Paul  was  preaching.  He  be- 
came interested,  he  knew  the  speaker  was  sin- 
cere; the  speaker  gained  his  confidence,  until 
at  last  he  confessed  his  story.  His  master  was 
Paul's  friend,  he  was  sent  back  to  Philemon 
to  the  city  of  Colosse,  and  in  that  letter  Paul 
wrote:  ''If  he  hath  wronged  thee  or  oweth 
thee  aught,  put  that  on  my  account."  What 
became  of  him  we  know  not,  but  the  Patristic 
writers  tell  us  of  one  Onesimus  who  became  a 
Bishop  in  the  early  Church.  It  may  have  been 
he. 

But,  why  go  beyond  the  experience  of  our 
own  day.  Jerry  McAuley,  a  river  thief,  was 
won  to  the  Master;  his  Mission  at  316  Water 
Street,  New  York,  has  won  thousands. 
Drunken  tramps  have  kneeled  at  that  little 
wooden  bench  to  find  Christ,  and  some  of  these 


The  Men  to  Reach  57 

very  men  are  to-day  prominent  business  men 
in  that  very  city.  I  have  heard  Samuel  Had- 
ley  say  that  over  twelve  hundred  souls  have 
found  the  Saviour  kneeling  at  that  same  bench. 

To-day,  throughout  the  American  colleges, 
the  life  testimony  of  Mercer,  to  whom  we  have 
alluded,  is  another  vital  instance  of  rescue 
work.  A  graduate  of  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, from  an  old  and  honoured  family,  fallen 
to  the  lowest,  but  now  reclaimed,  and  honoured 
and  beloved  by  scores  who  have  found  the 
Saviour  and  received  new  inspiration  through 
his  splendid  manhood  and  Christlike  spirit. 
And  in  our  own  city,  from  the  days  of  Moody 
to  this  present  hour,  this  work  goes  on  night 
after  night.  When  we  sleep,  these  noble  work- 
ers are  winning  the  outcasts  to  the  Son  of 
God. 

Aside  from  these  three  classes  of  men,  let 
us  aim  to  reach  strong,  pivotal  men  to  Jesus 
Christ.     It   is   natural    for   us   to  pivotal 

seek  those  whose  inclinations  bring       ^^^ 
them  to  the  House  of  God,  or  those  who  come 
instinctively  under  the  influence  of  Christian 
teaching. 

The  small  filings  are  quickly  caught  up  by 
the  passing  magnet,  but  not  so  easily  are  the 
great  bars  of  steel  lifted.     Christ  can  use  and 


58  Recruiting  for  Christ 

does  use  the  weakest  of  His  creatures  to  do  His 
work,  but  let  us  follow  Him  in  seeking  those 
who  are  not  so  easily  won.  Out  from  the 
ranks  of  the  rough  manhood  of  to-day  let  us 
claim  rugged  strength  for  Him.  Let  us  seek 
the  granite  cliffs  from  which  to  quarry  pillars 
for  the  temples  of  our  God. 

Sin  has  stamped  many  a  noble  life  with  the 
marks  of  the  lower  nature;  but  once  gained 
for  God,  the  Divine  Sculptor  will  cut  away 
the  roughness  until  He  gains  a  surface  which 
He  Himself  can  polish.  Out  of  a  swearing 
fisherman  He  may  make  a  fearless  champion, 
— and  he  a  character  so  controlled  by  sin  that 
almost  three  years  of  companionship  did  not 
accomplish  the  work.  But  He  most  patiently 
persisted  until  at  last  that  Galilean  tongue  that 
could  so  easily  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain, 
was  used  in  fearless  defence :  *'  Whether  we 
shall  obey  men  or  God,  judge  ye,  for  we  can 
but  speak  the  things  which  we  have  seen  and 
heard." 

He  called  the  "  Son  of  Thunder "  to  His 
service  and  His  side,  that  He  might  make  him 
"  John  the  Beloved,"  a  seer  among  those  who 
disclosed  the  mysteries  of  God. 

And  Paul  himself,  the  hated,  merciless  per- 
secutor of  Judea,  seeking  the  scattered  pilgrims 


The  Men  to  Reach  59 

of  the  Cross  in  Damascus,  arrested  on  the  high- 
way by  the  Divine  call,  summoned  into  service 
by  the  persecuted  Saviour,  perfected  through 
toil,  sacrifice,  and  suffering,  until  at  last  he 
could  say :  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  never- 
theless I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  with- 
in me,  and  the  life  I  now  live  I  live  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and 
gave  Himself  for  me." 

Men  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  let  us  seek  the 
men  who  are  real  and  strong  in  their  vital 
influence  and  leadership.  Let  us  reinforce  the 
ranks  of  the  King  from  the  very  ranks  of  the 
enemy,  and  let  us  have  the  faith,  the  wisdom, 
and  the  courage  to  aim  to  win  those  who  will 
win  others. 

Years  ago,  in  calling  one  afternoon,  I  heard 
and  saw  the  sad  story  of  a  home  gone  wrong. 
I  saw  the  suffering,  shoeless  children.  I 
looked  into  the  worn  face  of  a  patient,  godly 
mother  who  worked  on  into  the  night  to  save 
her  little  family.  I  sought  the  husband,  found 
him  drinking,  as  was  his  wont,  at  a  nearby 
saloon.  Back  of  that  careless  drunkard's  life 
I  saw  a  man  of  splendid  leadership  and  power. 
A  day  or  two  later  I  faced  him  in  his  shop,  told 
him  who  I  was,  told  him  I  wanted  to  talk  with 
him,  asking  him  if  he  would  take  a  walk  with 


6o  Recruiting  for  Christ 

me  Saturday  afternoon,  received  a  negative  an- 
swer, took  hold  of  his  great,  rough,  square 
muscular  hand,  and  said  with  a  smile :  "  Well, 
I  won't  let  you  go,  I  am  coming  back  to-mor- 
row and  the  next  day,  and  mean  to  keep  asking 
you  until  you  say  you  will."  A  day  or  two, 
and  he  consented,  none  of  the  men  laughed  at 
him, — he  wasn't  the  kind  of  a  man  men  laughed 
at.  He  was  the  uncrowned  monarch  of  that 
shop,  and  his  life  of  sin  and  carelessness  was 
meaning  the  ruin  of  scores  of  others,  although 
he  knew  it  not. 

We  walked  that  afternoon  over  the  hills  to- 
gether into  the  woods.  At  last  I  faced  him. 
I  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  himself,  what 
he  thought  of  his  shoeless  boy,  what  he  thought 
of  his  half-starved  infants,  what  he  thought 
of  his  noble  wife,  fighting  to  the  death  alone, 
still  loyal  to  him,  patient  in  her  suffering,  un- 
complaining in  her  work.  I  asked  him  what 
he  thought  God  brought  him  into  the  world 
for,  why  God  gave  him  his  influence,  how  he 
was  using  it?  He  was  big  enough  to  an- 
nihilate me,  but  I  did  not  care  much  then 
whether  he  did  or  not.  But  we  did  not  stop 
there:  I  spoke  of  the  love  of  Christ  for  him, 
that  the  Son  of  God  died  to  save  his  soul,  and 
that  Christ  would  help  him  to  use  his  leader- 


The  Men  to  Reach  6i 

ship  to  help  other  men.  I  might  have  told  him 
of  the  men  in  that  shop  whom  his  career  was 
damning,  but  we  had  gained  another  vision. 
Somehow,  in  that  forest,  we  saw  another  wood- 
land, and  it  was  a  garden.  We  looked  off  on 
another  hillside,  and  on  it  were  three  crosses, 
and  there,  upon  our  knees  alone,  that  great 
strong  man  broke  his  heart  in  sorrow  and 
asked  to  be  forgiven,  and  gave  his  heart  to 
God.  Of  course,  he  had  a  fight,  but  he  won 
out.  A  year  later  the  owner  of  that  shop  told 
me  he  would  take  his  own  wife  and  daughters 
through  that  building  without  the  least  sense 
of  fear,  for  they  would  hear  nothing  that  he 
would  not  care  to  have  them  hear,  but  a  year 
before  he  did  not  care  to  enter  himself.  That 
same  shop  declared  a  dividend  and  gave  a  pro- 
rata increase  to  the  men  on  the  basis  of  profit- 
sharing,  as  the  result  of  the  kind  of  work  they 
had  begun  to  do. 

Men,  God  wants  pivotal  men,  find  them, 
pray  for  them,  work  for  them,  work  with 
them  patiently,  win  them,  and  ''where  Saul 
has  slain  his  thousands,  David  will  slay  his  tens 
of  thousands,"  and  we  will  discover  what 
Jesus  Christ  can  do  with  a  strong  man,  one 
loyal  to  Himself. 


Ill 

PREPARATION 


"And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  to  Ezekiel  saying, 
Be  thou  prepared,  yea,  prepare  thyself,  thou,  and  all 
thy  companies  that  are  assembled  with  thee." — Ezekiel 
38:  I,  7- 

"  The  preparations  of  the  heart  belong  to  man,  but 
the  answer  of  the  tongue  is  from  Jehovah." — Frov. 
16:  I. 

"  And  next  to  him  Johazabed,  and  with  him  a  hundred 
and  fourscore  thousand  ready  prepared  for  war; 
those  were  they  that  waited  on  the  King." — //  Chron. 
17: 18-19. 

"  Study  to  show  thyself  approved  unto  God,  A  work- 
man that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  handling  aright 
the  word  of  truth." — II  Timothy  2:  15. 

"That  the  man  of  God  may  be  complete,  furnished 
completely  unto  every  good  work." — //  Timothy  3.-  17. 

*'  Faithful  prayer  always  implies  correlative  exer- 
tion."— John  Ruskin. 

"Let  prayer  be  the  key  of  the  morning 
And  the  bolt  of  the  evening." 

— Matthew  Henry. 

"  Teach  me  the  patience  of  unanswered  prayer." 

— George  Croly. 


Ill 

PREPARATION 

WE  now  come  to  the  subject  of  Per- 
sonal Preparation.  This  comes  to 
us  in  natural  order.  We  are  to  pre- 
pare ourselves  for  personal  work.  Some  of 
you  will  remember  where  Gipsy  Smith  started 

when   he   first   opened   his   work. 

,         ,  ,  .      Preparation 

You  will  remember  he  gave  this 

initial  thought :  ''  Every  one  of  us  needs  to 
draw  a  chalk  mark,  a  circle  around  himself, 
and  then  work  inside  the  circle;"  and  this  is 
true.  We  are  to  begin  with  ourselves.  The 
preparation  must  be  here.  We  have  many 
books  telling  us  how  to  do  personal  work,  we 
have  teachers  and  Christian  ministers  who  in- 
struct us.  We  are  told  how  to  do  it,  but  how 
many  of  us  are  really  doing  it  ?  How  many  of 
us  have  talked  personally  with  some  other  man, 
woman,  or  child,  as  to  his  or  her  personal  rela- 
tionship to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  w^ithin  the 
last  twenty-four  hours,  or  even  the  last  week, 
for  that  matter?  We  are  prepared,  we  say. 
65 


66  Recruiting  for  Christ 

We  have  the  books,  we  know  how,  but  we  are 
not  doing  it !  We  are  not  "  delivering  the 
goods  " !  We  are  men,  but  we  are  not  win- 
ning men  to  Christ.  Our  motive  is  right,  we 
have  the  power,  we  know  the  kind  of  men  to 
win,  but  are  we  prepared  to  do  it?  Have  we 
the  real  preparation,  or  simply  the  tools?  A 
friend  sent  me  a  fine  tool  chest  one  summer. 
Some  of  us  like  to  putter  with  tools,  so,  when 
I  got  away  on  my  vacation,  my  impression  was 
that  I  could  build  'most  anything  with  those 
tools,  but  it  was  a  mistake.  The  work  done 
was  not  satisfactory  work.  The  tool  chest  was 
excellent,  my  zeal  was  ardent,  my  motive  was 
good,  but  I  did  not  know  how.  The  tools 
could  not  do  the  work.  Books  cannot  do  it. 
Preparation  in  mere  equipment  will  not  do  it. 
We  must  have  personal  preparation.  We  must 
know  how  ourselves. 

There  must  be  certain  great  incarnate  prin- 
ciples. The  first  of  these  essential  funda- 
mental truths  is  prayer.  Nine-tenths  of  us  as 
Christian  people  to-day  are  planning  and  pray- 
ing, and  this  is  not  God's  order !  His  order  is 
''  Pray  and  Plan." 

If  we  are  to  win  for  God  we  must  begin  by 
prayer,  knowing  that  God  Himself  will  lead  us 
and  answer  us. 


Preparation  67 

Do  we  actually  believe  that  prayer  is  funda- 
mental? Do  we  really  believe  that  prayer  is 
the  primary  practical  preparation 
that  we  personally  need.  We 
sometimes  say  we  believe  certain  things  when 
we  do  not  actually  believe.  How  many  of  us 
really  begin  our  personal  work  with  prayer? 
How  many  of  us  actually  start  the  day  with 
prayer?  A  man  asked  me  the  other  day  if  I 
believed  in  morning  bed-prayers.  I  tried  it  the 
next  morning  and  went  to  sleep.  Thinking, 
perhaps,  I  was  overtired,  I  tried  it  again  with 
the  same  result.  The  third  morning  I  said : 
"  My  friend  is  not  built  as  I  am.  This  cannot 
do  for  me,"  and  I  got  out  of  bed  as  usual,  in 
the  spirit  of  prayerful  determination  and 
meditation.  After  a  man  has  washed  his  face, 
he  is  far  more  liable  to  pray  intelligently  and 
fervently  without  letting  his  mind  wander. 
Time  and  place  and  manner  are  secondary. 
But  personal  definite  actual  prayer  is  primary 
and  fundamental.  There  is  not  a  man  of  us 
who  has  not  an  ideal,  but  there  are  many  of  us 
who  have  experiences  that  do  not  check  up 
with  our  ideals.  Most  of  us  are  like  children 
starting  in  to  keep  a  diary.  If  they  run  for 
fifteen  days  in  January  they  do  well,  but  soon 
get  discouraged,  and  no  more  diary  until  the 


68  Recruiting  for  Christ 

next  January  ist.  Why  not  start  in  right 
where  we  fail?  That  is  success.  Why  not 
start  in  just  where  we  know  we  have  continu- 
ally erred,  and  begin  now  to  do  the  thing  we 
ought  to  do?  This  prayer  is  necessary.  It  is 
the  first  essential  of  success  in  this  work. 
Whatever  system  or  method  helps  you  to  be 
faithful,  that  is  the  best  system  of  prayer  for 
you.  It  makes  very  little  difference  what  sys- 
tem another  uses.  Use  your  own.  Use  prayer 
as  a  power  in  your  life. 

The  experience  of  prayer  will  qualify  prayer 
in  your  own  life.  How  many  of  us  have  had 
this  experience?  After  praying  definitely  that 
God  would  lead  us  to  do  a  certain  line  of  per- 
sonal work,  or  lead  us  to  some  special  in- 
dividual, the  way  was  suddenly  opened.  We 
were  all  at  sea  how  to  reach  him,  but  this  op- 
portunity opened  in  a  way  of  which  we  had 
never  dreamed?  This  has  been  an  experience 
so  many  times  in  my  life  that  it  has  defined 
for  me  the  supernatural.  Many  others  have 
referred  to  like  experiences.  No  point  of  con- 
tact, no  method  of  approach,  a  lack  of  confi- 
dence in  myself,  a  distrust  in  any  success  of 
my  own,  when  suddenly  God  so  easily  opened 
the  way,  and  all  was  well.  A  dozen  experi- 
ences are  fresh  in  my  mind  where,  without 


Preparation  69 

any  suggestion  from  any  human  source, 
method  and  opening  have  come  through 
prayer. 

A  man  once  wrote  me  a  letter  as  to  a  certain 
woman  in  the  community  who  had  large  in- 
fluence, stating  that  he  hoped  I  would  make 
it  a  matter  of  prayer  that  she  might  be  reached. 
There  was  not  a  single  plausible  reason  why 
she  should  be  in  our  church  the  following  Sun- 
day, but  she  came  up  and  spoke  to  me  after 
the  service,  thanking  me  for  the  sermon,  and 
introducing  herself.  I  realised  later  that  she 
was  the  woman  for  whom  we  had  been  pray- 
ing. It  seemed  so  evident,  so  sure,  that  the 
friend  who  had  written  had  taken  some  initia- 
tive in  the  matter  that  investigation  was  made. 
He  was  more  surprised  than  I.  The  world 
would  say,  "  A  mere  circumstance,"  but  we  say 
"  God." 

In  my  life  and  in  your  lives  there  are  il- 
lustrations all  the  way  along.  There  is  no 
human  energy,  nor  knowledge,  nor  any  human 
gift,  nor  any  human  adaptability,  nor  any  bril- 
liancy, which  compares  with  the  power  of 
prayer  in  approaching  men  and  winning  men 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  a  Christian  man 
does  not  believe  this,  he  should  pray  that 
he   may    believe    it,    for   the   first    condition 


70  Recruiting  for  Christ 

of  success  in  winning  men  to  Christ  is 
prayer. 

What  may  this  mean  to  us,  to  us  as  individu- 
als? It  may  mean  that  we  are  to  begin  to 
pray  definitely  for  individuals,  and  pray  that 
we  may  have  the  grace  and  power  to  reach  in- 
dividuals. How  many  of  us  are  praying  daily, 
specifically,  for  some  definite  conversion,  pray- 
ing that  we  may  be  used  to  reach  some  in- 
dividual? We  are  not  living  up  to  our  priv- 
ileges if  we  are  not.  Many  manifest  that  they 
believe  in  this  work,  but  that  they  are  not  ap- 
propriating their  belief!  Are  you  not  willing 
to  make  the  definite  attempt?  Will  you  not 
appropriate  it,  and  pray  for  some  definite  friend 
or  individual? 

Now  as  to  the  method  of  prayer  in  our  own 
lives.     There  is  a  sentiment, — and  it  is  a  sen- 
Method  of  timent,  not  a  fact, — due,  no  doubt, 
prayer  ^q  q^j.  traditions  and  training,  that 

when  we  begin  to  pray  for  individuals,  and 
use  the  same  methods  used  in  business,  we 
lower  the  real  dignity  and  devotion  of  prayer. 
This  is  wrong.  No  possible  criticism  should 
be  made  of  any  form  of  worship  which 
differs  from  that  in  which  we  may  have  been 
trained.  I  have  preached  in  a  Baptist  church 
in  the  morning,  in  a  Methodist  church  in  the 


Preparation  7 1 

afternoon,  and  have  read  the  Scripture  in  an 
Episcopal  church  in  the  evening,  and  the  form 
of  prayer  differed  in  each  service.  One  com- 
mon Lord  makes  us  one  in  Him.  But  when 
we  come  to  personal  prayer,  any  method  which 
can  make  it  practical  and  real  in  my  life  or 
yours,  the  appropriation  of  God's  great  gift 
to  us,  is  the  best  possible  method. 

My  little  girl  runs  into  her  grandmother's 
room  and,  throwing  her  little  arms  around  her 
grandmother,  climbs  up  on  her  knee,  and  they 
read  a  book  together, — a  primer,  perhaps,  or 
a  story  book.  That  dear  child  will  sit  in  her 
grandmother's  lap  an  hour  or  more,  and  there 
is  sweet  communion  between  them,  but  there 
is  none  the  less  real  affection  in  my  heart  for 
my  mother  when  each  night  at  the  close  of  the 
day,  before  I  seek  my  rest,  I  go  to  her  room, 
whether  she  is  asleep  or  awake,  and  quietly 
kiss  her  forehead.  There  is  all  the  difference 
in  time,  all  the  difference  in  method,  all  the 
difference  of  age, — there  is  not  one  bit  of 
difference  in  the  devotion  except  one  is  more 
matured  than  the  other.  The  essential  thing  is 
the  reality  of  it.  We  can  pray  anywhere,  in 
any  form,  at  any  time,  if  the  heart  directs. 

Do  you  remember  that  an  Indian  prays  with 
his  eyes  open?    Once  at  the  Indian  Confer- 


72  Recruiting  for  Christ 

ence  at  Lake  Mohonk,  a  converted  Indian  stood 
silently  before  us,  looking  straight  ahead  at 
the  audience  before  he  said  a  word.  Finally, 
with  great  simplicity  and  force,  he  spoke.  Mr. 
Smiley  told  us  later  that  in  his  silence  he  was 
praying.  His  tribe  had  a  custom  never  to 
speak  to  people  until  they  first  look  to  God  with 
a  frank,  earnest  face,  to  ask  Him  to  help  them 
speak  aright  to  the  people.  That  Indian  was 
standing  there  before  us  asking  God  to  use  his 
simple  message.  What  a  lesson!  Praying 
will  so  enrich  a  man  that  he  will  not  let  Httle 
things  trouble  him.  Some  months  ago,  when 
dining  with  a  noble  soul,  one  of  us  spoke  care- 
lessly in  regard  to  another.  She  said :  "  Oh, 
let's  keep  to  our  subject;  let  us  leave  that  detail 
to  the  Lord."  She  lived  above  the  little 
things!  The  Saviour  lived  above  those  little 
things  because  He  always  had  the  power  of 
prayer  and  communion. 

I  was  once  talking  with  one  of  the  world's 
great  men  in  his  private  office  when  his  tele- 
phone rang.  He  excused  himself  for  a  mo- 
ment, took  the  receiver  off,  and  said :  ''  Oh,  I 
am  so  glad  it  is  you.  You  say  you  are  only 
here  for  a  few  hours;  well,  will  you  ring  me 
up  in  a  few  minutes,  I  am  busy  just  now  with 
a  friend."     Gladly  would  I  have  told  him  to 


Preparation  i73 

proceed,  that  I  could  easily  wait,  for  I  knew 
from  the  way  he  spoke  he  was  addressing  a 
close  business  friend,  and  a  man  of  large  in- 
terests, but  he  said :  "  I  am  busy."  From  him 
a  wonderful  truth  was  gained.  You  and  I  may 
be  on  our  knees  when  the  telephone  bell  may 
draw  us  away  from  God,  and  we  are  incHned 
to  let  anything  interrupt.  We  let  anything 
come  between  us  and  the  place  of  the  presence 
and  power  of  God. 

Do  we  realise  when  we  pray  that  the  Al- 
mighty God  is  with  us,  that  the  Almighty,  the 
Omniscient,  the  Omnipotent,  the  Omnipresent 
God  is  there  ? 

How  can  we  "  expect  great  things  from  God, 
or  attempt  great  things  for  God,"  unless  we 
give  Him  first  place?  If  we  thus  believe  and 
honour  God  in  prayer.  He  will  increase  our 
faith  in  specific  petitions.  From  the  simple 
incidents  that  God  has  given  as  a  direct  an- 
swer to  prayer,  even  in  childhood,  many  of  us 
learned  this  lesson.  How  well  I  recall  one  in- 
cident. Placed  in  charge  of  a  large  party  of 
some  forty  children,  we  were  all  crowded  into 
one  of  those  great  excursion  carry-alls.  Two 
or  three  ladies  went  with  us.  Realising  the 
driver  was  somewhat  intoxicated,  I  got  him 
to  stop  at  a  country  inn  and  sought  other  as- 


74  Recruiting  for  Christ 

sistance  within.  In  my  absence  he  started 
down  a  sharp  hill  with  a  railroad  track  at  the 
foot.  It  was  absolutely  impossible  to  do  any- 
thing. I  was  a  boy  sixteen  or  seventeen  years 
of  age.  Instinctively  I  tried  to  overtake  him, 
but,  failing,  I  ran  into  an  orchard,  and  down 
under  an  apple-tree,  on  my  knees,  asked  God  to 
save  those  children.  I  knew  that  I  was  abso- 
lutely helpless  and  cried  to  Him  for  help. 
Suddenly  one  of  those  women,  once  familiar 
with  horses,  realised  the  condition  of  that 
driver,  and,  taking  the  reins  from  him,  brought 
the  horses  to  a  standstill  before  they  got  to 
the  bottom  of  the  hill.  When  I  reached  that 
team,  breathless,  I  had  learned  the  lesson, — 
that  the  absolute  helplessness  of  a  man  is  the 
medium  of  God's  power.  (I  have  learned 
more  since,  however.  I  would  now  pray  as 
I  kept  on  running).  The  one  great  thing  we 
need  is  to  believe  in  prayer,  for  "  His  strength 
is  made  perfect  in  weakness." 

The  second  essential  is  study, — prayer  and 
study.  There  is  no  easy  way  to  knowledge. 
Study  means  work.  No  man  can 
study  for  another  if  individual  at- 
tainment is  to  result.  Study  may  be  simple, 
inspiring,  attractive,  but  it  must  mean  effort 
and  faithful  personal  labour. 


Preparation  75 

What  are  we  to  study  first?  The  Word  of 
God.  What  are  we  to  study  second?  Men. 
What  are  we  to  study  third?  Nature, — that 
is,  the  natural  conditions  around  us.  What 
are  we  to  study  fourth?  Books.  Books  in- 
clude the  history  of  men,  biography,  experi- 
ence, and  all  that  goes  with  them.  If  we  study 
God's  Word,  Men,  Nature,  Books,  we  will  find 
that  such  study  will  result  in  our  real  prepara- 
tion. 

What  is  the  best  asset  of  study?  Not  what 
a  man  learns,  but  what  he  learns  how  to  use. 
You  studied  chemistry  when  you  were  in  col- 
lege, and  thought  you  learned  something  use- 
ful, but  to-day  you  could  not  recite  the  formulas 
if  you  tried.  How  about  the  names  of  the 
Presidents  of  the  United  States,  if  you  were 
called  upon  to  give  them  ?  The  fact  is,  a  great 
many  of  the  things  which  are  a  part  of  our 
common  education  we  do  not  remember. 
Probably  few  of  us  could  start  in  at  Washing- 
ton or  Oregon  and  give  every  State  in  the 
Union,  but  your  thirteen-year-old  boy  can  do 
it,  and  do  it  quickly.  The  fact  is,  we  are  not 
trained  to  be  encyclopedias !  This  is  not  study. 
Study  is  not  merely  acquiring  information, 
but  learning  how  to  acquire;  how  to  adapt, 
and  use.     Study  is  not  simply  filling  up  our 


76  Recruiting  for  Christ 

minds.  Some  of  the  brainiest  men  in  the 
world  have  been  the  most  useless  men.  The 
secret  of  power  is  not  simply  knowledge  nor 
memory.  Not  knowledge,  but  the  power  to 
use  and  adapt  knowledge.  Consider  the  dif- 
ference between  the  Eastern  and  the  Western 
mind.  The  Eastern  mind  is  the  mind  trained 
to  memorise.  We  had  a  student  in  one  of  our 
great  universities  who  came  to  study  in  the 
department  of  physics.  When  his  examina- 
tion time  came,  six  months  after  his  entrance, 
every  single  question  was  answered  verbatim. 
The  professor,  believing  that  he  was  an  honest 
man,  questioned  him,  "  I  want  to  ask  you  how 
it  is  that  you  have  given  every  single  answer 
exactly  as  it  is  in  the  text-book  ?  '*  He  quickly 
replied :  ''  Why,  I  learned  the  book  from  cover 
to  cover."  He  had  committed  that  entire  text- 
book to  memory !  He  also  said :  "  From  the 
time  I  was  a  little  boy  I  have  always  committed 
to  memory;  that  is  nothing  to  me  at  all."  He 
had  graduated  from  a  college  in  Southern 
India.  It  would  be  a  great  task  for  us  to  ac- 
complish. The  American  mind  is  not  the  mind 
that  simply  commits  to  memory.  It  is  the 
mind  that  learns  to  paraphrase,  to  think  for  it- 
self. Your  child  is  not  learning  to  commit 
page  after  page,  but  to  acquire  the  thought. 


Preparation  77 

He  is  trained  to  think.  The  American  student 
to-day  is  the  one  who  can  think  for  himself. 

Now  the  memory  has  a  marvellous  place  in 
our  study  and  preparation.  You  all  know  per- 
fectly well  how  the  memory  may  be  used  in 
studying  the  Scriptures.*  Too  much  em- 
phasis cannot  be  placed  upon  the  importance 
of  memorising  Scripture.  However,  we  need 
more  than  this.  We  need  a  memory  that  can 
quickly  relate  a  truth  to  life.  What  we  need 
is  truth  that  can  immediately  relate  itself  to 
life,  and,  with  this  in  view,  we  want  to  study 
God's  Word  faithfully.  Study  it  in  such  a 
way  that  it  becomes  part  of  our  lives.  That 
we  can  call  upon  it  and  use  it  just  wh^en  it 
should  be  used.  In  dealing  with  men  we  must 
realise  this.  But  use  it  for  results,  not  as  an 
exhibition  of  your  own  knowledge  of  Scripture. 

In  our  preparation  let  us  make  our  study  the 
very  best  study  we  can  give.  How  many  of 
us  study  the  Word  of  God  to  show  ourselves 
approved  of  God,  workmen  who  need  not  to  be 
ashamed?  Can  we  take  His  Word  and  use 
and  control  it?  Do  we  take  it  as  food,  that  it 
may  make  good  red  blood  and  make  our  lives 
strong?     How  many  of  us  go  without  break- 

*See  **How  to  Master  the  English  Bible,"  by  Dr. 
James  M.  Gray. 


78  Recruiting  for  Christ 

fast,  or  lunch,  or  dinner  for  a  week,  and  then 
make  up  in  one  meal  when  we  hear  a  sermon 
on  the  Bible?  What  sort  of  digestion  does 
this  give,  and  what  kind  of  muscle  does  it 
create?  We  must  study  the  Bible  as  we 
eat  our  food.  We  must  give  our  best  to 
Him  with  the  regular  and  full  vigour  of  our 
minds. 

But  TIME  comes  up.  When  should  we 
study  the  Bible?  Frequently?  Yes,  but  let 
us  do  it  at  specific  times,  and  give  God  the  pick 
of  our  time.  Recently,  in  talking  with  a 
lawyer,  he  admitted  he  would  like  to  study  the 
Bible,  but  had  not  the  time.  Gladstone  gave 
more  time  to  God  and  to  his  Bible  the  very 
days  in  which  he  had  the  hardest  problems  to 
face.  McCheyne  tells  us  the  harder  the  task 
the  more  time  he  took  to  study  the  Bible  to 
prepare  for  it. 

Dr.  Arthur  T.  Pierson,  who  has  helped  so 
many  of  us  not  only  by  his  friendship,  but  by 
his  voice  and  pen,  was  once  asked  to  speak  fif- 
teen minutes  at  the  Mohawk  Indian  Conference 
on  "  General  Missions."  When  he  excused 
himself  from  an  afternoon  pleasure  to  pre- 
pare, one  laughingly  said :  ''  Why,  you  do  not 
have  to  prepare,  do  you?  "  He  replied :  "  If  I 
am  to  speak  two  hours  I  can  prepare  in  fifteen 


Preparation  79 

minutes,  but  if  I  am  to  speak  fifteen  minutes 
it  will  take  me  two  hours  to  prepare." 

Many  of  us  do  not  do  more  in  personal 
service  because  we  do  not  know  the  Bible  well 
enough.  We  do  not  do  more  of  this  work  be- 
cause we  do  not  know  how  to  use  God's  Word. 
We  are  not  equipped.  My  experience  is,  that 
a  study  of  the  Bible  which  is  primarily  a  devo- 
tional study,  a  personal  soul  study  of  the  Bible, 
the  study  that  my  own  soul  needs,  is  the  most 
profitable.  Nine-tenths  of  all  the  sermons 
some  of  us  preach  come  out  of  our  devotional 
study.  We  need  the  very  truth  as  applied  to 
our  own  hearts.  In  the  course  of  that  devo- 
tional study,  before  we  know  it,  sermon  after 
sermon  is  suggested. 

The  devotional  study  of  the  Bible  will  help 
us  primarily  to  win  other  people.  This  study 
will  lead  us  to  use  sections  and  chapters  of 
God's  Word  rather  than  simply  texts  and 
verses.  The  thought  and  principle  will  thus 
influence  and  convince.  To  illustrate :  In  deal- 
ing with  a  man  who  did  not  believe  in  the  in- 
dividual method  of  winning  men  to  Christ, 
and  who  would  not  undertake  it  because  he 
considered  it  discourteous,  he  accepted  an  in- 
vitation to  come  upstairs,  and  we  read  together 
the  chapter  in  Acts  which  told  of  Philip's  work. 


8o  Recruiting  for  Christ 

As  we  read  how  this  man  was  accompHshing 
wonders  in  Samaria  when  God  called  him 
away  to  deal  with  one  man,  he  said :  "  What 
do  you  think  of  that?  I  see  I  am  all  wrong. 
The  fact  is,  God's  method  is  not  my  method, 
I'm  all  wrong." 

A  student  came  to  me  one  day  and  said: 
"  What  do  you  think  of  this  editorial?  It  rep- 
resents what  I  believe.  It  is  exactly  the  op- 
posite of  what  you  preached  last  Sunday  night, 
and  I  think  you  are  all  wrong."  Upon  asking 
him  where  the  author  got  his  authority,  he  re- 
plied, "  I  don't  know.  He  is  relating  experi- 
ence." We  went  up  to  the  study  and  looked 
into  it.  As  we  read  together  the  passage  of 
Scripture  without  comment,  he  broke  in  by 
saying :  "  I  see  your  point.  The  writer  of 
that  editorial  hasn't  the  facts  or  the  right 
premise."  That  student  is  to-day  a  missionary 
in  China;  all  he  needed  was  to  study  it  through. 

But  we  must  know  men.     The  man  who  is 

prayerful  and  is  studying  the  Bible,  who  does 

not  also  know  men,  will  never  at- 
Know  men   '      •      ,  •   ,      ^      ^c  •  •  •      • 

tarn  highest  efficiency  in  winning 

men  to  Christ. 

And  we  must  be  our  own  natural  selves  if  we 

are  to  win  men.     We  cannot  drive  men  away 

from  God  by  any  quicker  method  than  by  using 


Preparation  8 1 

a  holy  tone  when  talking  to  them.     When  some 

men  speak  of  religion  they  seem 

,  11       1  1  Naturalness 

to    lose    all    the    natural    power 

God  has  given  them  by  becoming  unnatural. 

Gipsy   Smith  said  wisely,   If  he  were  giving 

advice  by  means  of  music,  he  would  go  to  the 

organ  and  strike  the  key  of  "  B  Natural."     Be 

yourself  and  know  men,  and  nature,  and  life, 

so  that  you  can  adapt  yourself  immediately  to 

conditions.     You  can  study  men  in  the  busy 

life  of  the  city  activity.     You  can  study  nature 

when  in  the  woods  and  in  the  mountains. 

Some  of  us  recall  the  great  influence  at 
Northfield  back  in  '87  and  '88,  when  men  like 
Dr.  Henry  Clay  Trumbull,  Dr.  J.  Hudson 
Taylor,  Dr.  John  G.  Paton,  and  others  were 
there.  We  see  those  men  now  as  they  walked 
over  the  hills,  as  they  walked  amid  nature,  and 
kneeled  with  many  a  student  beneath  those 
trees  to  pray.  Occasionally  Mr.  Moody  would 
get  up  in  the  Auditorium  in  Old  Stone  Hall 
and  say :  "  Boys,  get  away  from  these  walls, 
go  out  into  the  woods^  and  think  and  pray, 
and  let  God  speak  to  you  through  the  Word 
of  God  and  nature." 

I  tell  you  I  have  seen  men  won  to  Christ  on 
a  trout  stream.  Get  your  friend  out  into  the 
company  of  nature  if  you  want  to  talk  to  him 


82  Recruiting  for  Christ 

of  Christ.  Who  is  back  of  nature?  God  is. 
He  loves  the  hills,  the  streams,  the  fields. 
Once,  in  the  far  reaches  of  an  Adirondack 
trail,  my  guide  asked  me  if  I  believed  God  lived 
in  the  vi^oods.  It  was  my  opening.  We  had 
talked  together  of  all  the  signs  of  wood  and 
wild  life.  He  had  pointed  out  to  me  the  old 
stump  torn  by  the  claws  of  the  bear  as  he 
sought  grubs  and  ants.  Now  he  wanted  me  to 
show  him  God,  and  the  Son  of  God.  More 
than  trout  were  caught  that  day.  *'  Follow 
Me  and  I  will  make  you  become  fishers  of 
men." 

Jesus  Christ  can  use  us  and  will  use  us 
wherever  we  are.  It  was  a  happy  moment  in 
my  life  years  ago  in  the  Adirondacks,  when  an 
old  woodsman,  old  Dan,  said  to  me  as  we  sat 
before  the  old  camp  fire,  ''  Would  you  mind, 
before  we  turn  in,  having  a  prayer  and  a  short 
reading?  You  know  I  found  Christ."  I  tell 
you,  men,  if  we  know  nature  and  know  men  and 
are  ourselves  natural,  God  will  give  us  results. 
Let  us  begin  now.  We  have  daily  and  hourly 
all  the  opportunities  we  need  to  say  something 
for  Jesus  Christ. 

Mr.  Moody  (and  I  love  to  refer  to  him,  for  I 
believe  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Spurgeon  were  the 
greatest  human  beings  in  the  last  century  in 


Preparation  83 

uplifting  mankind)  used  to  tell  us  that  many 

a  night,  after  he  had  gone  up  to  his 

1        11  111  Practice 

room  m  the  hotel,  he  would  leave 

that  room  and  go  down  again  to  the  office,  be- 
cause he  would  not  retire  until  he  had  made  a 
definite  personal  effort  to  win  somebody  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  have  heard  him  say  that 
he  had  won  many  to  the  Lord  by  just  such  ef- 
forts. 

We  can  start  now  if  we  will.  Men,  prac- 
tice makes  perfect  in  this  thing.  Some  of  the 
men  who  have  become  the  strongest  servants  of 
Christ  have  been  men  who  have  broken  down, 
or  failed  at  first.  No  matter  if  you  do  make  a 
poor  attempt.  Who  of  us  has  not?  Who  has 
not  forgotten  the  verse  he  meant  to  quote,  and 
ended  in  apparent  confusion  and  failure.  Once 
I  ended  up  by  saying:  "  I  am  making  a  fist  of 
this,  but  I'm  dead  in  earnest."  That  was  one 
of  the  best  pieces  of  work  I  ever  did.  That 
man  was  mine  ever  after  in  close  Christian 
friendship.  Mr.  Spurgeon  was  right  when  he 
said :  "  There  is  more  in  the  matter  of  earnest- 
ness than  in  anything  else  if  souls  are  to  be 
won." 

Prayer,  study,  and  practice  will  prepare  us 
to  do  this  work  if  we  are  dead  in  earnest;  and 
once  having  gained  this  holy  enthusiasm,  we 


84  Recruiting  for  Christ 

will  not  draw  back.  Our  souls  will  crave  this 
very  work,  and  we  will  be  prepared  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  filled  with  His  power.  The 
"  Greater  things  than  these  "  shall  be  accom- 
plished by  the  man  prepared  by  God  Himself. 


IV 
APPROACH 


"A  word  spoken  in  season,  at  the  right  moment, 
is  the  mother  of  ages." — Carlyle, 

"  Silence  is  less  injurious  than  a  weak  reply," — Colton. 

"  Many  can   argue,  not  many  converse." — Alcott. 

"A  wise  man  will  make  more  opportunities  than 
he  finds." — Bacon. 

"A  man  convinced  against  his  will 
Is  of  the  same  opinion  still." 

— Butler. 

"The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
strong,  neither  yet  bread  to  the  wise,  not  yet  riches  to 
men  of  understanding,  nor  yet  favour  to  men  of  skill; 
but  time  and  chance  happeneth  to  them  all." — Eccle- 
siastes  9: 11. 

"  If  any  of  you  t^ck  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God." — 
James  i:  5. 

"Lo,  I  am  with  you  Silwsiy."— Matthew  28:  20. 


IV 

APPROACH 

HOW  are  we  to  approach  men? 
After  personal  preparation,  nothing 
is  more  important  than  this  subject  of 
*'  Approach."  Having  the  right  motive,  and 
recognising  the  essential  qualifications  of  de- 
votion, preparation,  and  sincerity,  we  must 
approach  our  man  aright. 

The  place  of  ''  impulse  "  is  not  to  be  over- 
looked in  considering  approach.     If  a  man  is 

consecrated  to  God,  under  the  di- 

t      1       1  •        r  TT-     TT   1     f-.    •   •  Impulse 

rect  leadership  of  His  Holy  Spirit, 

he  will  act  wisely  by  following  impulse.  At 
times  the  incentive  will  be  strange  and  unex- 
pected, suggesting  itself  without  any  apparent 
cause.  Usually  it  is  safe  to  regard  and  follow, 
if  the  mind  is  normal  and  sincere.  By  way  of 
illustration :  Some  years  ago,  when  reading  one 
evening,  I  was  strongly  impressed  with  the 
sense  of  duty  to  go  to  a  neighbouring  street 
and  call  upon  a  young  man  who  had  interested 
me,  and  for  whom  I  had  prayed.  The  even- 
87 


88  Recruiting  for  Christ 

ing  was  passing  quietly  and  in  solitude.  Such 
evenings  were  at  a  premium,  but  so  strong  was 
this  impulse  that  it  was  followed  prayerfully, 
though  with  somewhat  indefinite  zeal.  He 
welcomed  me  cordially,  and  was  in  a  most  re- 
ceptive frame  of  mind.  I  frankly  told  him 
the  circumstances  attendant  upon  my  call. 
That  call  led  to  his  conversion,  and  he  be- 
came a  useful  member  of  the  Church. 

Another  instance,  which  emphasises  the  need 
of  immediate  response :  I  was  once  driving  in 
New  England  with  one  of  my  little  daughters. 
Passing  the  house  of  a  somewhat  notable  char- 
acter, who  was  ill,  I  was  prompted  to  turn  in 
and  talk  with  him  about  his  soul.  Without  the 
slightest  hesitation,  I  drew  rein  and  found  my- 
self approaching  him  as  he  sat  in  the  sunshine 
on  his  veranda.  Telling  my  little  daughter  to 
stay  in  the  yard  and  play  with  the  chickens,  I 
hitched  my  horse  and  told  him  who  I  was,  that 
I  had  known  of  him,  and  without  other  intro- 
duction, my  errand  was  directly  told.  Already 
signs  of  deep  emotion  were  seen  in  his  face. 
He  asked  me  in.  Helping  him  in  with  his 
wheel-chair,  I  talked  simply  and  earnestly  with 
him,  read  the  Scripture,  asked  him  if  he  did  not 
wish  me  to  pray  with  him,  and  then  poured  out 
my  heart  to  God  in  simple,  fervent  prayer.     I 


Approach  89 

have  reason  to  beheve  the  old  man  was  even 
more  than  touched,  and  that  the  directness  of 
our  united  appeal  to  Christ  found  that  same 
ready  response  which  is  always  given.  He 
died  the  next  winter.  The  opportunity  would 
not  have  been  repeated.  He  was  a  rough,  but 
kindly  man, — a  son  of  the  forest.  A  man 
whose  earlier  years  no  knotty  elbow  of  wood 
could  challenge  when  he  was  swinging  his  axe. 
A  man  who  once  almost  severed  his  foot  from 
his  limb  when  chopping,  but  refused  even  then 
assistance  to  the  house  until  overcome  by  weak- 
ness through  loss  of  blood. 

Impulse  unheeded  seldom  returns.  And  not 
only  ministers  of  the  gospel,  but  all  Christian 
workers  realise  that  many  a  life's  sad  experi- 
ence is  the  consciousness  of  having  failed  and 
lost  forever  the  following  of  a  definite  inspira- 
tion or  impulse. 

There  is  an  irregular  way  of  approaching 
men,  and  this  is  a  frequent  way.  Zealous,  en- 
thusiastic, eager,  alert  for  an  op-  xhe 
portunity,  we  approach  the  first  irregular 
man  we  meet — anywhere,  anybody.  We  may 
win  him,  but  his  response  is  largely  relative 
to  the  strength  of  his  character.  Strong  men 
are  seldom  won  in  this  way.  They  reason 
somewhat  thus :  '^  This  man  is  carried  away 


90  Recruiting  for  Christ 

with  this  new  notion,  and  I  am  the  victim. 
He  was  out  looking  for  anybody, — hke  the 
man  hunting  birds, — I  rose,  he  shot."  This 
method  has  been  honoured  of  God  constantly 
and  has  frequently  been  successful,  but  there 
is  a  better  way, — not  that  we  think  the  less  of 
this,  but  the  more  of  the  other. 

Then  there  is  the  regular,  orderly  method. 
The    reaching   of    men    through    the    regular 

The  church    channels    in    the    church, 

regular  after  an  impressive  sermon,  in  the 

prayer  meeting,  or  Young  People's  Society, 
through  special  services,  when  organisation  and 
inspiration  prompt  approach.  However,  the 
men  and  women  who  are  usually  present  at 
the  regular  or  special  church  services  do 
not  need  the  gospel  as  those  who  are  not 
there. 

In  the  work  of  the  City  Mission  there  is  a 
greater    field    frequently,    in    our    great    con- 
gested  centres.     A   large  percent- 
Missions  ,  •  1  1  1 
age  here  are  without  the  gospel. 

Attracted  by  the  music,  light,  or  warmth,  with- 
out shelter  or  home, — they  are  easily  gathered. 
Generally  their  emotional  natures  are  quickly 
aroused  and  genuine  human  sympathy  creates 
an  atmosphere  of  quick  response. 

This  is  also  somewhat  true  in  street  work. 


Approach  91 

Whether  conducted  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Salvation  Army,  bands  of  Christian  laymen, 
gospel  wagons,  or  summer  outposts  in  the 
parks;  all  of  these  afford  opportunities  in  gen- 
eral to  reach  large  numbers  of  people.  A  great 
many  men  ought  to  begin  in  these  very  places. 
It  is  far  easier  to  get  used  to  this  work  there 
than  elsewhere.  Men  expect  it.  Convention- 
ality is  not  known.  Perfect  freedom  is  the 
order  of  the  day.  These  assemblies  are  demo- 
cratic in  form  and  conduct.  A  recent  Satur- 
day evening,  in  one  of  our  Wells  Street  mis- 
sions, a  few  of  us  who  were  present  felt  the  in- 
fluence of  this  very  thing.  A  dozen  men  must 
have  responded,  apparently  eager  and  willing 
to  accept  Christ,  and  anxious  for  our  prayers. 
These  men  and  women  belong  to  the  "  down- 
and-out  "  class.  They  are  ready  for  any  gen- 
uine practical  help,  spiritual  or  physical.  The 
inspiration  of  such  work  develops  not  only  abil- 
ity, but  also  inclination  and  readiness. 

This  we  would  call  ordinary  work,  but  there 
is  an  extraordinary  work  to  do.  By  this  we 
mean  definite  work  for  individual  Extraor- 
men, — men  whom  we  have  se-  binary 
lected, — men  for  whom  we  are  especially  work- 
ing. These  men  may  be  needy,  neglected, 
thoughtless,  indifferent,  immoral,  weak,  or  self- 


92  Recruiting  for  Christ 

righteous.  Whatever  their  characteristics, 
among  them  are  men  who  are  strong  and  in- 
fluential, and  men  who  have  marked  person- 
ahties. 

Look  ont  for  the  man  with  a  strong,  vigor- 
ous personaHty.     Stop  and  watch  those  boys 

who   are  playing  marbles  on  the 
Personality  .  ^tt      i  ^ 

Street  just  now.     We  know  that 

spring  is  here,  not  only  because  the  birds  have 
begun  to  sing,  but  because  the  boys  are  play- 
ing marbles  and  spinning  tops.  Yesterday  I 
saw  a  crowd  of  a  dozen  or  fourteen.  One  lit- 
tle fellow  controlled  the  whole  situation.  He 
was  the  homeliest  chap  of  the  lot.  But  when 
one  of  the  older  boys  imposed  on  a  little  chap 
he  did  not  stand  for  it  a  moment,  and  the  whole 
crowd  swung  into  line.  If  I  wanted  to  win 
that  crowd  of  boys  I  would  get  that  little  fel- 
low and  let  the  rest  go,  for  he  had  the  whole 
crowd  with  him.  No  matter  what  their  char- 
acteristics, get  hold  of  the  men  with  personal- 
ity, they  are  the  pivotal  men.  To 
Pivotal  men        .  "^        ,  '^  .       ^  ^,    . 

wm  one  such  man  for  Jesus  Christ 

means  that  he  will  be  the  means  of  winning 
hundreds.  Some  men  can  win  their  tens,  some 
their  thousands,  and  some  their  tens  of  thou- 
sands. Jesus  Christ  followed  this  principle  in 
selecting  His  apostles.     He  selected  men  who 


Approach  93 

would  lead  anywhere  because  of  their  striking 
personalities. 

We  now  turn  to  the  subject  of  planning  our 
work.  In  all  activity  for  God  we  should  look 
ahead.  Prayer  precedes  plan,  but 
does  not  substitute  for  it.  The 
most  valuable  lesson  that  I  learned  at  the 
World's  Fair  in  '93  was  learned,  not  in  any 
exhibition  or  building,  but  in  the  life  of  the 
companion  with  whom  I  came  to  Chicago.  He 
had  studied  law  before  entering  the  theological 
seminary  where  we  were  studying  together  in 
the  East.  His  peculiar  method  of  conducting 
his  devotional  exercises,  of  saying  his 
prayers  at  night,  aroused  my  attention.  After 
I  had  finished  mine  and  gotten  into  bed,  he 
would  still  be  sitting  in  his  chair  looking  off 
into  space  in  an  intense  sort  of  way,  and  finally 
kneel  and  pray  briefly.  One  night  Thinking 
I  said  to  him:  "Judge,  you  cer-  and  playing 
tainly  conduct  your  devotions  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  and  I  am  inquisitive  enough  to  ask 
you  how  you  do  it?  "  He  replied  in  the  same 
companionable  spirit  with  some  such  words  as 
these,  "  Well,  I  studied  law,  as  you  know, 
before  I  entered  the  seminary.  We  were 
trained  to  think  things  through  before  we 
started  to  plan  our  campaigns.     I  feel,  when 


94  Recruiting  for  Christ 

I  pray,  that  I  am  approaching  my  Heavenly 
Father  and  my  Divine  Friend.  He  should 
have  the  very  best  I  have.  Hence  I  think  be- 
fore I  pray.  I  think  over  carefully  the  things 
for  which  I  wish  to  express  gratitude;  then 
the  things  which  I  need  and  want  and,  after 
thoughtfully  deciding,  I  pray  from  my  heart." 
This  is  not  only  a  suggestion  as  to  prayer,  but 
properly  introduces  aright  the  necessity  of  plan- 
ning in  our  work.  Aside  from  praying  for 
men  and  deciding  whom  we  are  to  aim  to  reach, 
we  should  study  our  man,  study  his  nature,  his 
tastes,  his  temperament,  his  training,  his  sur- 
roundings, his  business,  his  employment;  his 
inclination,  his  attitude,  his  companionships. 

Some  years  ago  a  number  of  men  were  ap- 
pointed to  present  a  large  philanthropic  enter- 
prise to  one  of  our  great  national  financiers. 
He  was  a  very  busy  man,  almost  unapproach- 
able, his  time  held  in  great  value.  Finally  an 
appointment  was  made, — it  was  to  be  brief. 
The  matter  was  to  be  presented  in  a  few  min- 
utes. In  preparing  to  present  the  matter  in 
five  minutes,  the  chosen  spokesman  spent  five 
or  six  hours  in  getting  ready  to  make  a  five- 
minute  speech.  He  studied  the  man's  life, 
went  into  the  details  of  his  experience,  read 
magazine  articles  about  him,  studied  his  busi- 


Approach  95 

ness,  consulted  with  some  who  knew  him  bet- 
ter than  he;  disregarded  secondary  matters, — 
cut  out  a  story  here  or  there, — discriminated 
with  great  care  as  to  just  what  should  be  said. 

(Just  here  it  is  well  for  us  to  note 
,         ,  ,       .       ,  ,  Humour 

that  the  man  who  is  always  known 

as  a  great  story-teller  is  seldom  known  as  a 
first-class  business  man.  The  first-class  busi- 
ness man  may  be  a  good  story-teller,  but  the 
man  who  makes  it  his  business  to  tell  stories 
and  is  noted  for  that  primarily,  seldom  is 
noted  for  anything  else.  A  great  English 
statesman,  when  asked  his  opinion  as  to  a  cer- 
tain diplomatic  appointment,  replied :  "  The 
man  is  not  eligible :  he  is  too  prominent  for  his 
humour.")  The  success  of  this  particular  in- 
terview was  the  result  of  careful  preparation 
for  the  few  minutes  of  active  conversation. 

In  planning  for  our  man  we  should  consider 
the  WHOr  HOW?  WHAT?  WHEN?  and 
WHERE?  of  it  all.     First,  WHO 

11  1  -%         -rr  Who? 

can  reach  the  man  best?  If  our 
object  is  to  win  the  man^  we  will  not  care  who 
wins  him.  Some  men  are  approachable  with 
one  who  are  not  with  another.  A  zealous  col- 
lege lad,  who  was  ill-kept  and  careless  in  his 
dress,  as  well  as  in  his  manners,  approached  a 
fellow  of  entirely  different  tastes  and  training. 


g6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

whose  hncn  was  always  immaculate,  who  mani- 
cured his  finger  nails,  and  whose  trousers  were 
always  perfectly  creased ;  he  approached  him 
in  a  ready,  careless  manner,  clapping  him  on 
the  shoulder,  and  asked  him  why  he  did  not 
become  an  active  Christian.  It  was  enough 
to  antagonise  him  throughout  his  entire  course, 
and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  always  associated 
with  unpleasant  memories  and  an  unjust 
opinion.  This  man  might  easily  have  been 
won  by  another.  It  was  just  a  case  of  care- 
less campaign,  of  ignorant  and  thoughtless 
zeal.  If  we  are  after  strong  men,  let  us  plan 
to  use  the  right  men  to  approach  and  reach 
them.  Business  men  are  exceedingly  careful 
who  plans  an  interview,  and  by  whom  they 
are  introduced:  Frequently  salesmen  arrange 
among  themselves  who  should  approach  cer- 
tain firms  and  men,  knowing  that  others  would 
not  make  a  corresponding  impression.  Heads 
of  firms  are  most  particular  on  this  very  line, 
not  only  in  the  allotment  of  territory,  but  in 
the  assigning  of  individuals. 

HOW  are  we  to  approach  men?     Some  by 

appointment,    others   by    happenstance;    some 

boldly,  directly,  frankly;  others  in 

general    statements    and    quietly. 

Here  more  than  anywhere  else  common-sense 


Approach  97 

intuition  must  be  exercised.  We  must  know 
how  to  be  silent  as  well  as  to  speak,  how  to  re- 
frain from  criticism  or  expression,  as  well  as 
to  use  audible  argument.  Frequently  such 
men  are  reached  by  bringing  them  into  the 
hearing  of  able  men, — arranging  general  ap- 
pointments rather  than  personal;  discovering 
the  kind  of  men  who  would  appeal  to  them,  and 
then  making  it  a  point  to  invite  and,  perhaps, 
accompany  them  to  such  a  gathering.  We  also 
may  plan  new  acquaintanceships  for  them  with 
men  whose  influence  cannot  fail  to  be  felt,  and 
this  all  unconsciously  and  naturally. 

But,  WHAT  are  we  to  say  to  them  ?     What 
are  we  to  do?     What  are  we  to  follow  up? 

Just  as  necessary  as  these  questions 

*^  .  What? 

are  their  opposites.     What  are  we 

to  refrain  from  saying?  What  are  we  to  re- 
frain from  doing?  What  are  we  to  let  alone, 
biding  God's  time?  The  good  conversation- 
alist is  not  necessarily  the  man  or  woman  who 
does  the  most  talking!  A  good  conversation- 
alist is  usually  an  excellent  listener.  Some 
years  ago,  when  attending  an  afternoon  tea 
(not  that  we  dote  on  them),  I  found  it  quite 
unnecessary  to  have  much,  if  anything,  to  say. 
Although  talking  with  five  or  six  women  dur- 
ing the  half-hour,  I  do  not  think  I  opened  my 


98  Recruiting  for  Christ 

mouth, — except  to  casually  remark  that  "  the 
tea  was  excellent."  What  was  my  surprise 
when,  coming  down  the  stairs,  hat  in  hand,  to 
overhear  two  or  three  ladies  speaking  my  name, 
and,  all  unconscious  that  I  was  near,  I  heard 
them  say  enthusiastically :  "  Isn't  he  a  charm- 
ing conversationalist?"     I  learned  my  lesson. 

The  best  way  to  convince  some  men  of  the 
reality  of  the  Christian  faith  in  which  they  have 
been  trained,  is  to  keep  still  and  let  them  talk. 
They  may  talk  against  theories  and  dogmas 
which  are  very  clear  to  you.  They  may  criti- 
cise right  and  left,  but  if  we  keep  a  sweet 
spirit  and  do  not  antagonise  in  reply,  very  fre- 
quently they  come  around  of  their  own  accord 
and  confess  that  they  are  talking  for  the  sake 
of  talking. 

We  used  to  do  the  same  thing  when  we  came 
home  from  college.  We  were  filled  up  with 
new  thoughts  as  to  philosophy,  we  were  proud 
that  we  were  studying  psychology,  we  had  got- 
ten well  into  logic,  then  rhetoric,  and  we  loved 
to  talk  with  our  mothers,  and  tell  them  how  il- 
logical the  old  faith  was,  and  how  absurd  many 
cherished  beliefs  of  childhood;  but,  if  our 
mothers  did  not  antagonise  us,  but  showed  the 
same  sweet  spirit  which  they  had  always  shown, 
after  a  while  we  came  around  and  admitted  in 


Approach  99 

our  boyish  language  that  we  were  "  talking 
through  our  hats."  It  was  simply  a  case  of 
"  trying  our  wings." 

It  is  not  always  WHAT  we  say.  Truth 
does  not  always  need  a  defender,  nor  theology 
an  apologist.  A  great  many  times  a  quiet, 
gentle  spirit  wins  when  a  brainy  argument 
drives  away. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  cases  came  to  my 
mind  about  two  or  three  years  ago.  I  was 
calling  at  the  Christmas  season  upon  one  of 
our  faithful  and  honoured  missionaries,  who, 
with  his  wife,  was  at  home  on  his  furlough 
from  South  America.  He  and  his  noble  wife 
met  me  with  dimmed  eyes,  but  they  were  tears 
of  rejoicing.  ''  I  have  just  had  the  happiest 
Christmas  gift  of  my  life,"  he  said.  He  then 
went  on  to  tell  me  it  was  a  letter  from  his  son, 
a  merchant  in  a  South  American  city,  who  had 
just  written  to  them  of  his  earnest  conversion. 
The  wife  of  this  son  was  a  Romanist.  The 
priest  in  their  city  had  come  to  talk  with  him 
and  win  him  over  to  Romanism.  The  young 
man,  schooled  from  childhood  in  the  Scripture, 
had  argued  with  the  priest,  and  apparently 
worsted  him  at  every  step;  finally  the  priest 
went  away  disgusted  and  angered.  The  young 
man  said  to  his  wife:  ''  Why,  I  believe  all  this 


lOO  Recruiting  for  Christ 

I  have  said  to  him, — I  really  believe  it !  "  It 
resulted  in  his  uniting  with  the  Church,  and  his 
wife  coming  with  him.  The  very  means  which 
we  sometimes  use  to  argue  men  into  the  King- 
dom seems  to  stir  up  the  worst  side  of  their 
opposition.  It  might  almost  be  well  to  take 
the  other  side  with  some  men,  merely  for  the 
sake  of  argument,  that  we  might  act  as  mirrors 
to  show  them  their  real  belief  in  their  own 
natural  truthful  response. 

The  time  of  approaching  men  is  most  im- 
portant. Wise  men  always  plan  their  time. 
Why  approach  a  man  just  before 
dinner,  or  in  the  busiest  moment  in 
his  office,  or  when  his  mind  is  filled  with  other 
things?  Why  take  the  time  which  is  due  to 
his  children  and  his  home,  and  rob  him  of  his 
greatest  joy  and  comfort?  Then,  if  we  are 
patient,  there  are  certain  times  which  are  pe- 
culiarly apt.  You  have  been  waiting  for  the 
right  time,  perhaps  waiting  for  years.  There 
is  a  wreath  near  the  bell  at  the  front  door, 
and  a  bit  of  crape  or  ribbon ;  don't  speak  to  him 
then,  when  his  heart  is  so  tender.  The  pathos 
of  the  Cross  is  the  return  from  Calvary!  Look 
at  Herbert  Schmalz'  great  picture,  "  The  Re- 
turn from  Calvary,"  as  he  portrays  this  very 
scene.     A  rift  in  the  cloud  shows  the  three 


Approach  loi 

crosses  on  the  distant  hill.  The  Roman  Guard 
is  moving  out  of  the  city.  Mary,  the  mother 
of  Jesus,  abject  and  hopeless,  leans  upon  the 
bosom  of  John  as  she  takes  his  arm.  Mary 
Magdalene  gives  all  her  attention  to  the  pros- 
trate Mother.  The  others  look  back  over  their 
shoulders  to  the  crosses.  It  is  the  return  from 
Calvary!  Those  long  days  and  long  evenings 
will  soon  come.  Your  friend  will  be  at  home 
and  alone.  The  busy,  rushing  street  has 
ceased  to  know  his  sorrow.  Even  the  careless 
cartman  tried  to  quiet  his  horse  as  he  passed 
the  house  when  the  service  was  going  on,  but 
the  world  has  now  long  since  forgotten.  There 
is  a  time  now.  It  is  God's  time.  It  is  your 
opportune  time  to  let  heart  and  head  act  in 
thoughtful  emotion,  and  all  because  of  a  wise, 
sympathetic  friendship. 

Anywhere?     Yes,     everywhere.     But     the 
trysting-place  is  God's  place.     Let  associations 

hallow  certain  places.     Old  scenes 

11    r       1     1  r  o     1  Where? 

call  forth  latent  forces.     Seek  to 

get  men  to  the  places  where  they  are  naturally 
impressed;  among  the  companions  who  will 
help.  It  may  be  a  walk  together  on  a  half- 
holiday.  It  may  be  the  planning  of  a  two 
weeks'  vacation  together.  The  result  of  many 
a  vacation  has  been  the  winning  of  strong  men 


102  Recruiting  for  Christ 

to  Christ.  It  may  be  a  day's  outing.  It  may 
be  a  call.  All  this  may  have  been  arranged  by 
'phone,  by  letter,  or  by  invitation  far  ahead. 
No  method  will  be  seen  in  it,  but  the  result  may 
prove  the  wisdom  of  your  far-seeing  plan. 

But  always  remember  that  two  are  a  com- 
pany and  three  are  a  crowd. 

Never  talk  personally  with  men  as  to  their 
soul's  salvation  when  three  are  present.  Sel- 
dom even  with  a  man  and  his  wife, — except 
when  a  little  baby  binds  them  together  in  the 
new  joy  which  has  transformed  a  house  into  a 
home.  Always  have  a  man  alone,  and  talk 
to  him  where  there  can  be  no  possible  inter- 
ruption of  word  or  view  from  another.  Let 
a  man  talk  it  over  with  his  wife  usually,  rather 
than  trying  to  see  them  both;  Christ  usually 
called  men  one  by  one,  and  great  soul-winners 
have  been  dealers  with  individuals. 

Never  hurry,  take  plenty  of  time.  If  not 
successful   once,   come  back  and  back  again. 

Persever-  Never  make  the  error  of  persisting 
ance  i^  winning  men  the  first  time  you 

call.  Almost  invariably  you  will  lose  them. 
Win  a  man's  confidence,  no  matter  how  long 
it  takes.  Then  the  matter  of  winning  his  soul 
and  life  will  not  be  difficult.  The  greatest 
surgeons  are  the  men  who  are  never  hurried 


Approach  103 

in  their  private  offices.  Scores  may  be  waiting 
without,  but  their  best  attention  is  given  to 
the  individual  case;  and  in  winning  victory 
over  disease,  repeated  treatment  and  operation 
may  be  necessary.  This  is  also  true  in  reach- 
ing men  in  business.  I  had  an  insurance  man 
call  upon  me  thirteen  times  before  he  wrote 
a  policy,  and  then  I  did  not  want  the  policy 
half  so  much  as  I  wanted  to  remain  in  his 
good  graces,  for  he  had  become  a  friend.  It 
would  hardly  be  fair  to  say  I  wanted  to  get  rid 
of  him.  Win  the  confidence  of  men.  Show 
your  sincerity,  your  persistency,  your  deter- 
mination, but  show  it  wisely,  sympathetically. 
Don't  try  to  wholesale  your  work, — retail  it. 
Take  time  for  prayer  and  thought.  In  entering 
a  **  tournament  of  activity  "  don't  try  to  win 
the  whole  series  in  one  game.  Omit  your 
argument, — show  heart  rather  than  head.  Use 
earnestness,  and  don't  be  afraid  of  genuine 
feeling  and  emotion. 

Always  be  frank.     What  has  made  Amer- 
ican diplomacy  known  the  world  over?     The 

Eastern   diplomats    cannot    under- 

,      ,        .  .  Frankness 

stand  why  American  statesmen  are 

so  successful.     "  You  have  no  great  schools  of 

diplomacy,"  they  say,  and  still  they  recognise 

our    strategic    and    statesmanlike    accomplish- 


I04  Recruiting  for  Christ 

ments.     It  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  frank, 
truthful,  manly  expression. 

Let  friendship  do  its  work.  How  well  I  re- 
member that  manly  grasp  of  a  close,  dear 
friend,  who  had  lived  and  worked  for  years 
on  the  other  side  of  the  globe.  We  had  been 
in  close  touch  as  the  years  had  gone  by,  he 
working  in  his  place  and  I  in  mine,  both  for 
the  same  Lord  and  in  the  same  Kingdom.  We 
met  for  only  a  few  moments.  We  knew  each 
other's  friendship.  When  that  strong  hand 
grasped  mine  in  farewell  he  said,  "  God  bless 
you.  We'll  keep  true  to  one  another  on  our 
knees,"  and  then  he  added :  "  I  love  you."  As 
I  walked  from  that  train  as  it  pulled  out 
across  the  continent,  I  wiped  from  my  eyes 
tears  of  real  gratitude.  The  heart  and  head 
were  working  in  true  expression  together.  Let 
us  be  true  to  the  holy  emotions  of  friendship, 
and  let  us  use  them  aright  in  approaching  men 
and  in  winning  men  to  Christ. 


V 
MEANS  AND  METHOD 


"Be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  only."— 
James  i:  22. 

"  The  God  of  Peace  make  you  perfect  in  every  good 
work  to  do  His  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  His  sight." — Hebrews  13:  20-21. 

"  The  shortest  way  to  do  many  things  is  to  do  only 
one  thing  at  once." — Cecil. 

"There  are  diversities  of  gifts  but  the  same  spirit." — 
/  Corinthians  12:  4 

"  Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order." — 
/  Corinthians  14:  40. 

"  God  nothing  does,  nor  suffers  to  be  done 
But  what  thou  wouldst  thyself — couldst  thou  but  see 
Through  all  events  of  things  as  well  as  He." 


MEANS  AND  METHOD 

THERE  are  two  great  means  which  God 
has  given  to  us — personal  human  ef- 
fort, and  the  proper  use  of  the  Word 
of  God.     Back  of  these  there  is  the  consistent, 

consecrated  Hfe.     There  must  also 

.  Means 

be  prayer  power,  a  firm  belief  m 

men,  and  mutual  cooperation  in  various  lines 

of  activity. 

Taking  all  into  consideration,  we  have  these 
two  great  forces :  The  part  of  God's  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  use  which  He  makes  of  our  personal 
effort,  and  the  use  of  the  Word  of  God,  God's 
Holy  Spirit  in  guiding  us,  and  God's  Holy 
Spirit  in  using  the  Word. 

A  question  came  up  recently  which  was  an- 
swered by  a  wise  leader  as  to  the  use  of  the 
Word  of  God  in  winning  men  to  Christ.  I 
think  he  answered  most  wisely  and  practi- 
cally. The  verse  method  in  itself  is  often  help- 
ful, but  has  frequently  been  misused  because 
107 


io8  Recruiting  for  Christ 

not  thoroughly  understood,  and  because  of 
the  omission  of  the  real  interpretation  and 
sequence. 

The  most  successful  use  of  the  Word  of  God 
is  not  simply  by  verses  of  Scripture,  but  by  the 
illustration  of  Scripture  which  brings  out  the 
truth,  and  gives  clearly  God's  meaning  as  the 
Spirit  interprets. 

When  we  come  to  method,  let  us  consider 

that  there  are  certain  natural  primary  means 

which  must  come  before  us,  and. 
Method 

among  these,  I  wish  to  emphasise 

two :  Conversation  and  correspondence.     (The 
Correspond- second    of    these    is    often    disre- 
ence  garded  by  many  of  us,  or  at  least 

is  not  sufficiently  emphasised. ) 

The  most  ordinary  means,  and  that  which 
affords  the  greatest  opportunity  is  conversa- 
tion. At  the  outset  let  us  note  that  we  cannot 
be  helpful  in  winning  men  to  Christ  in  con- 
versation unless  we  manifest  the  genuine  spirit 

of   sympathy.     How   many   times 
Compassion        ,,    ,  ,  ,      ,      ^  « 

all  the  way  through  the  Gospel  we 

read  that  Christ  had  compassion  on  the  multi- 
tude !  jit  was  compassion  in  the  heart  of  Christ 
that  led  Him  to  talk  to  the  woman  of  Samaria. 
That  led  Him  to  look  up  at  that  man  in  the  tree 
— Zaccheus.     Compassion    that    led    Him    to 


Means  and  Method  109 

Matthew.     Compassion,  as  well  as  Divine  in- 
sight, that  led  Him  to  Peter. 

It  was  this  that  gave  Him  power  to 
recognise  in  a  man  like  John  a  deep,  genu- 
ine, sympathetic  nature  and  winsome  per- 
sonality. 

First  of  all,  we  must  love  men  if  we  are  to 
help  them.     It  must  not  be  shown  externally. 
No  method  should  be  seen.     Any 
condition  which  discloses  machin- 
ery or  reveals  method  will  usually  lose  power. 

People  seeing  method  are  led  to  misjudge 
the  motive  and  purpose. 

We  should  not  do  away  with  the  method,  but 
let  it  be  unseen.  In  conversation  with  men  let 
us  first  show  that  we  love  them.  We  must 
have  a  devout  and  genuine  affection  for  men,  or 
we  will  not  approach  them  with  the  right  spirit. 
The  longer  we  live  the  more  we  realise  that  the 
spirit  of  a  man  is  his  great  means  of  usefulness. 
We  may  differ  doctrinally,  in  creed  or  in  inter- 
pretation of  truth,  and  we  may  differ  from 
men  in  method  and  manner  of  thinking,  and  in 
temperament,  but  if  we  know  the  spirit  of  a 
man  and  that  man  sees  in  us  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  we  can  help  one  another.  We  must 
gain  this  at  the  very  start  in  conversation,  for 
this  is  what  counts.     We  lose  a  man  at  once, 


no  Recruiting  for  Christ 

or  we  gain  him  at  once,  by  the  very  spirit  which 
we  manifest. 

This  leads  to  the  thought  that  in  conversation 
we  must  be  careful  not  to  make  an  exhibition  of 
our  lives.  Many  a  man  has  not  been  used  by 
God  because  of  his  very  brilliancy.  His  own 
wit,  his  own  personality,  his  very  intellect  have 
stood  out  so  that  men  have  seen  him  exhibited 
instead  of  the  truth  which  he  would  really  give 
to  others. 

A  rare  leader  spoke  years  ago  to  a  body  of 
students.     His  brain  and  ability  so  overcame 

^n  him  that  he  unconsciously  made  an 

exhibition  exhibition  of  his  life.  The  criti- 
cism of  those  men  was  just.  The  man 
impressed  them  with  his  intellect  instead 
of  impressing  them  with  his  truth  and  his 
message. 

Now,  men,  if  we  ever  do  this  in  conversation 
with  a  man  and  draw  attention  from  the  mes- 
sage to  ourselves,  then  men  see  us  instead  of 
the  truth. 

We  must  lose  ourselves  in  service,  and  men 
must  fail  to  see  us,  save  as  devoted  messengers, 
if  Christ  is  to  be  seen.  We  must  gain  con- 
versational power  in  presenting  truth  simply, 
lovingly,  sincerely,  as  we  give  to  man  the  con- 
sciousness that  our  words  are  the  very  ex- 


Means  and  Method  iii 

pression  of  God's  truth,  uttered  for  His  sake. 
Then  they  will  gain  His  Spirit,  and  will  not 
listen  to  us  so  much  as  to  the  truth  which  we 
are  speaking. 

It  is  generally  a  great  mistake  to  use  argu- 
ment.    It  may  be  a  means  to  divert 

-  -  .  T  1  Argument 

rather  than  convmce.     It  was  sel- 
dom used  by  Jesus  Christ  and  His  servants  in 
winning  men. 

Of  course,  there  are  some  men  who  must 
have  doubts  explained  away,  but  usually  argu- 
ment is  a  cloak  for  something  else,  and  very 
few  men  comparatively  have  been  won  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  its  means.  You  start  in 
opposition  and  you  provoke  opposition,  instead 
of  gaining  response. 

In  my  experience  as  a  personal  worker,  I 
have  never  known  a  strong  man  won  to  Jesus 
Christ  merely  through  argument.  Last  year 
at  the  Student  Conference  at  Northfield  one  of 
our  best  speakers,  a  man  who  perhaps  belonged 
to  the  practical  rather  than  the  theoretical 
school,  asked  a  class  of  about  two  hundred 
students  how  many  of  the  men  had  been 
won  to  Christ  or  to  a  better  life  through 
argument,  and  not  a  single  man  responded. 
Finally,  one  man  rose  and  said :  "  I  was  logi- 
cally convinced  by   a   man  whose  knowledge 


112  Recruiting  for  Christ 

of  Scripture  was  far  clearer  than  my  own, 
but  I  had  to  go  deeper  than  my  mind  to 
decide." 

I  think  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to  open  the 
Bible  and  let  the  Word  of  God  speak,  without 
argument.  We  argue  with  men  because  we 
do  not  know  how  to  do  anything  else.  It  is 
the  easiest  method  in  the  world,  the  most 
natural  way. 

The  man  who  knows  the  least  about  the  Bible 
is  the  man  who  is  always  anxious  to  argue. 
The  man  who  knows  the  most  about  the  Bible 
wants  to  take  the  Word  of  God  and  read 
and  study  it. 

You  will  find  the  man  who  uses  argument 
like  one  using  a  knife-blade  in  battle  against  a 
sword,  and  God  has  equipped  man  with  another 
*'  sword  "  with  which  to  fight.  The  man  of 
the  world  has  all  the  power  of  human  nature 
to  refute  the  spiritual  arguments  you  present. 
Naturally  he  does  not  wish  to  accept  and  take 
your  position. 

Some  of  us  may  have  fenced  with  broad- 
swords. We  used  to  love  to  go  through  the 
various  motions  in  duelling.  I  re- 
member once  when  fencing  with  a 
West  Point  cadet,  he  said :  ''  The  trouble  with 
you  is  this,  you  only  dabble  in  this  thing  once 


Means  and  Method  113 

in  a  while  on  vacation;  we  are  at  it  systemat- 
ically all  the  time." 

This  is  our  fault.  How  many  of  us  are  just 
dabbling  in  the  things  pertaining  to  the  Word 
of  God,  without  making  the  study  of  the  Bible  a 
regular,  systematic  exercise  of  our  lives? 

This  is  where  we  fail.  We  are  using  it  as  a 
plaything!  If  we  used  the  Word  of  God  and 
studied  it  constantly  and  devotionally,  we  would 
learn  its  power  and  gain  marvellous  skill  in 
conversation  in  winning  men  to  Christ. 

Let  us  recall  one  other  point  as  to  conversa- 
tion, to  which  we  have  alluded  elsewhere.  Let 
the  other  man  talk  the  thing  well  through  be- 
fore you  break  in  on  him;  in  other  words,  let 
him  talk  first.  He  will  tell  you  many  things 
which  will  give  you  the  chance  to  leave  out 
many  things  you  were  expecting  to  say.  One 
can  condense  what  he  has  to  say.  Much  speak- 
ing often  defeats  success. 

I  remember  hearing  a  man  some  months  ago 
at  a  convention.  He  had  a  splendid  speech, — 
at  least  the  last  twenty  minutes  of  it, — but  his 
address  was  an  hour  long !  He  ought  to  have 
cut  out  the  first  forty  minutes,  and  started  with 
the  last  twenty. 

At  one  time  I  had  a  very  important  decision 
to  make.     Going  to  the  wisest  friend  I  had,  one 


114  Recruiting  for  Christ 

who  lived  very  near  to  God,  I  asked  him  to  give 

me   the  evening-.     We   both   went 
Concentration  ,  ,  ,,     . 

to  another  town  nearby  to  talk  it 

over,  that  we  might  be  free  from  disturbance. 
He  was  a  counsellor,  and  a  man  whose  clear 
judgment  was  most  exceptional  and  conclusive. 
He  had  that  marvellous  genius  of  mind  which 
some  men  have.  Speaking  familiarly,  he  said : 
''  Tell  me  your  story,  tell  me  the  whole  thing." 
He  did  not  interrupt  me.  I  spoke  an  hour  or 
more,  and  then  he  said :  "  Have  you  told  me 
all  ? "  Then  adding  a  few  questions  which 
showed  me  I  had  omitted  certain  points  he  de- 
sired, I  talked  a  half-hour  longer,  and  then  an- 
other point  was  touched.  Fifteen  minutes 
more  resulted,  and  then  he  sat  and  thought 
without  speaking.  In  perhaps  ten  minutes  he 
began  and  analysed  my  problem  for  me  thor- 
oughly. 

For  the  moment  I  almost  lost  what  he  was 
saying  in  sheer  wonder  at  the  exact  way  in 
which  he  had  grasped  the  entire  situation. 
Then  he  stopped  right  in  the  midst  of  his  out- 
line and  said :  ''  Let  us  ask  God  to  take  ab- 
solutely out  of  our  hearts  the  personal  element. 
I  am  conscious  that  you  are  thinking  of  me  In- 
stead of  our  subject.  I  do  not  know  why,  but 
I  am  conscious  that  you  are  following  my  mind 


Means  and  Method  115 

instead  of  what  we  want  to  get  out  of  this  as 
to  God's  leadership."  And  then  we  prayed  to- 
gether that  we  might  be  led  by  God's  Spirit, 
He  then  spoke,  and  spoke  with  concentration, 
discrimination,  and  power. 

This  illustrates  for  us  one  other  thought — - 
We  do  too  much  talking.  Here  is  a  man  be- 
fore us  we  want  to  help  and  win.  We  said 
last  week  that  we  must  win  his  confidence  first, 
no  matter  how  many  times  we  go  to  see  him. 
You  will  win  him  when  you  are  conscious  that 
he  has  given  you  his  heart,  and  that  you  have 
his  confidence.  Why,  Paul  could  never  have 
talked  to  that  runaway  slave,  Onesimus,  in 
Rome,  if  he  had  not  won  his  heart!  Do  you 
suppose  he  would  have  told  Paul  he  had  run 
away  from  his  master,  Philemon, — the  very  one 
Paul  was  going  to  send  that  letter  to?  Let  us 
talk  less  until  we  win  the  life,  letting  the  man 
talk  to  us,  and  thus  finding  out  what  he  needs. 
The  wise  man  in  this  world  is  the  man  that  has 
learned  what  not  to  say. 

How  many  of  us  have  written  letters  to  men 
individually  as  to  their  soul's  salvation?  How 
many  of  us  to-night  can  think  of  correspond- 
men  who  are  unsaved  with  whom  ^^^^ 
we  have  influence  ?  Some  men  whom  we  know 
and  whose  confidence  we  have,  are  without 


Ii6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Christ,  and  we  have  never  written  to  them  per- 
sonally upon  this  subject. 

I  am  not  pleading  for  a  correspondence  that 
carelessly  throws  in  a  religious  word  anywhere 
for  the  sake  of  doing  religious  work,  or  ap- 
peasing a  fanatical  zeal  to  do  something. 
Some  men  always  put  tracts  in  business  letters. 
Personally  I  question  their  wisdom,  but  admire 
their  zeal.  It  is  a  far  different  thing  to  insert 
them  in  a  personal  letter. 

But  now  referring  to  correspondence.  In 
this  there  is  a  great  means  of  winning  men  to 
Christ.  A  personal  testimony  in  this  matter 
from  my  own  experience  may  help,  even  if  it 
surprise.  As  far  as  I  can  judge  (and  we  all 
realise  how  poorly  we  can  judge  results),  this 
kind  of  service  has  directly  won  more  men  and 
women  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  than  any  other, 
aside  from  personal  direct  appeal.  More  have 
given  the  direct  testimony  of  their  personal  sal- 
vation resulting  from  personal  letters  than 
through  sermons  or  special  services.  I  can  sit 
down  to-night  and  from  the  record  of  sixteen 
years  in  the  Christian  ministry,  give  more 
definite  results  of  men  reached  through  per- 
sonal correspondence  than  by  means  of  any 
other  single  method. 

The  very  success  of  business  life  to-day  is 


Means  and  Method  117 

largely  due  to  correspondence.  Work  which 
is  not  so  much  of  a  personal  as  of  a  construc- 
tive nature.  The  postage  stamp  has  become  a 
mighty  means  of  power. 

I  went  into  one  of  our  great  bond  houses  re- 
cently. The  president  took  me  into  a  private 
room  and  showed  me  how  great  quantities  of 
circulars  were  being  stamped  and  addressed. 
Thousands  could  be  turned  out  in  an  hour. 
What  is  this?  It  is  the  use  of  the  postage 
stamp  practically  applied  to  modern  business 
methods. 

If  you  cannot  use  long  hand,  dictate  a  letter. 
Talking  with  a  travelling  man  of  New  York 
City,  he  said :  ''  I  never  let  a  day  end  without 
dictating  a  letter  to  some  personal  friend  about 
his  soul's  salvation."  And  then  he  added 
quietly :  ''  I  want  to  tell  you  this :  All  uncon- 
sciously to  me^  three  stenographers  in  the  last 
few  years  have  been  won  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  won  through  the  letters  I  have  dictated, 
and  in  each  case  I  did  not  know  a  single  word 
I  said  was  being  taken  to  heart  by  them." 

Another  illustration.  Young  Mercer  is 
called  by  a  lot  of  the  college  fellows,  ''  Postal 
Card  Mercer."  I  had  a  postal  from  him  this 
winter,  when  he  was  speaking  to  the  Johns 
Hopkins  boys  on  my  old  stamping  ground  in 


Ii8  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Baltimore.  Another  came  yesterday  from  an 
old  Northfield  Cornell  boy,  who  is  travelling 
in  Spain,  who  had  learned  the  value  from  him. 
He  wrote  on  the  card :  "  You  see,  I  am  *  Mer- 
cerised ' !  "  He  was  keeping  up  that  which  had 
so  helped  him.  This  correspondence  method 
can  even  be  thus  carried  on  with  postals.  It 
is  the  human  touch  through  ''  Uncle  Sam." 

Now,  when  a  man  sits  down  and  writes  you  a 
letter  or  a  postal,  you  know  he  means  busi- 
ness.    You   open   the    letter   hur- 
A  letter 

riedly  and  read :  "  Dear  William,  I 

am  alone  in  my  room  to-night,  and  I  have  felt 
a  definite  impulse  to  write  you  a  letter  about 
the  thing  that  is  nearest  my  heart.  I  have 
been  praying  for  you,  that  you  might  know  my 
friend,  the  Lord  Jesus,  personally.  You  know 
what  my  life  was  before  I  found  Him.  There 
is  plenty  of  inconsistency  in  my  life  now,  but 
my  heart  is  hungry  to  help  you.  If  there  is 
anything  I  can  do  to  open  this  matter  up,  I 
want  to  do  it.  Don't  answer  this  letter  if  it 
troubles  you,  but  just  know,  in  my  heart  of 
hearts,  I  am  praying  for  you,  and  if  there  is 
anything  in  God's  world  that  I  can  do  to  make 
you  thoughtful  I  want  to  do  it." 

What  will  the  receiver  say?     ''Ned  is  cer- 
tainly daft  on  religion.     What  has  he  got  up 


Means  and  Method  119 

his  sleeve?"  He  may  say  that,  but  he  will 
never  get  away  from  that  letter,  even  if  he 
does.  There  is  life  blood  in  that  letter,  and 
human  nature  cannot  get  away  from  life 
blood!  You  cannot  kill  life  blood  with  a  flip- 
pant remark.  Later  he  will  say  in  his  heart: 
'*  Now  do  you  know  it  was  a  mighty  fine  thing 
of  Ned  to  write  me  that  letter.  Look  at  the 
time  he  spends  in  driving  in  the  evening.  Look 
at  the  entertainments  that  are  going  on,  and  he 
thought  enough  of  me  to  put  in  his  time  that 
way.  He  is  in  earnest, — I  wonder  if  I  am!  " 
He  knows  that  he  values  him,  and  he  also 
knows  that  it  was  a  tremendous  effort  for  him 
to  write  that  letter.  The  fact  comes  over  him 
that  this  man  really  values  him  and  loves  him. 

And  then  we  can  use  all  kinds  of  openings. 
Think  of  the  opportunities  that  come  to  us 
every  day  of  our  lives. 

A  young  woman  wrote  me :  ''I  want  you  to 
pray  for  such  and  such  a  friend.  She  has  re- 
cently met  you,  and  she  made  a  single  remark 
the  other  afternoon  that  showed  me  she  believes 
you  are  sincere  and  earnest.  That  is  a  good 
deal  for  her  to  admit.  With  the  natural  op- 
portunity of  approach  that  you  as  a  minister 
in  her  community  have,  I  ask  that  you  will  use 
your  influence  in  calling,  and  I  believe  that  at 


I20  Recruiting  for  Christ 

just  this  time,  if  you  can  only  get  her  to  church, 
you  could  say  the  word  that  would  make  her 
life  count  for  Christ." 

A  few  years  ago  in  Baltimore  one  of  our 
pastors  told  me  his  heart  was  so  saddened  that 
no  one  was  coming  into  the  church  at  a  coming 
Communion  that  he  wept  as  he  kneeled  and 
prayed.  Suddenly  the  thought  came  into  his 
mind:  ''Why  don't  you  use  your  pen?"  He 
said  he  rose  and  immediately  wrote  eight  let- 
ters. In  some  of  those  letters  he  used  long 
passages  of  Scripture.  He  wrote  them  to 
eight  young  men  in  his  church  who  had  not 
previously  confessed  Christ.  He  told  me, 
without  another  single  influence,  except  fol- 
lowing those  letters  up,  six  of  those  eight 
united  with  the  church  three  weeks  from  that 
Sunday  morning,  and  the  other  two  came  in 
afterward.  A  consecrated  pen  will  win  men 
to  Christ,  not  as  a  substitute  for  the  personal 
word,  but  as  an  assistant. 

If  we  are  to  start  on  this  method,  it  will  be- 
come practical  and  natural  to  us  through  use, 

and  in  no  other  way.     This  is  a  di- 
Starting  .  ,  .  , 

rect  way  of  preachmg  the  gospel 

for  laymen  as  well  as  ministers.     It  may  be 

more  to  us  as  ministers  also. 

We  are  not  using  this  means  as  we  should, 


Means  and  Method  121 

and  that  is  why  we  are  not  having  results. 

What  are  we  here  in  this  world  for?  For 
anything  else  than  the  definite  actual  help  we 
can  give  one  another  for  this  very  thing? 
How  much  real  good  have  we  done  others? 
How  much  real  help  will  it  mean  to  our  city? 
To  our  churches? 

Will  you  not  form  the  habit  and  gain  the 
power  by  starting  in  now  to  do  some  of  this 
very  work? 

I  want  to  call  attention  to  a  wonderful  fact 
in  correspondence — distance  is  eliminated! 
Correspondence  absolutely  eliminates  distance. 

This  acts  like  a  Marconi  wireless.     I  used  to 
think    if    any    important    problem    Eliminating 
came  up,  the  only  thing  to  do  was  distance 
to  take  the  train  at  once  and  go  to  the  in- 
dividual. 

I  have  learned  that  we  can  do  a  great  deal 
with  a  postage  stamp  or  a  telegram,  and  some- 
times with  a  better  result.  We  annihilate  dis- 
tance, and  we  can  reach  any  one  by  this 
method. 

To-day  a  letter  came  from  India  from  a  dear 
friend.  It  was  so  clear,  so  explicit,  so  far 
ahead  of  the  letter  I  sent  him  a  few  months 
ago,  that  he  has  largely  convinced  me  he  is 
right  and  I  wrong.     Now  I  might  have  talked 


122  Recruiting  for  Christ 

with  that  man  three  or  four  hours  without  so 
satisfactory  a  result. 

The  other  day  word  came  to  one  of  the  min- 
isters in  this  city  that  a  classmate  was  stag- 
gering under  a  tremendous  burden  in  the  East. 
He  sat  down  and  promptly  wrote  him  a  letter, 
which  said :  "  I  am  with  you  heart  to  heart." 
The  answer  came  back :  "  You  will  never  know 
how  just  in  the  moment  of  need  that  letter  of 
yours  gave  to  me  a  new  strength  and  a  new 
bound  of  courage,  and  I  am  going  on  in  my 
work  here  and  win  out.  Your  letter  is  just 
what  has  done  it." 

Men,  we  are  too  busy  to  converse  with  men, 
and  too  busy  to  correspond  with  men,  and  it 
is  the  old  thought  over  again — the  man  we 
were  told  to  watch  is  gone! 

The  first  eleven  chapters  of  Romans  taught 
that  "  Justification  by  faith  "  is  God's  method. 
But  the  twelfth  chapter  made  the  application 
and  appeal :  *'  I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren, 
by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your 
bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
God,  which  is  your  reasonable  [common  sense] 
service.  And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world, 
but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your 
mind,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and 
acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God." 


Means  and  Method  1 23 

I  challenge  you  to  whom  these  words  come 
to  begin. 

WHAT  are  we,  WHO  are  we,  and  WHO  is 
HE  ?  And  to  Whom  are  we  pledged  ?  I  chal- 
lenge you  to  get  busy  for  Christ  with  brain, 
heart,  and  pen,  and  if  this  is  not  your  purpose, 
stay  out  of  the  arena!  For  the  blessing  we  do 
not  use  passes  from  us.  The  power  and 
strength  which  we  do  not  use  cease  to  be  ours. 
We  MUST. 


VI 

AN  EARLY  CHURCH 
ILLUSTRATION 


"Whatsoever  He  saith  unto  thee,  do."— John  2:  5. 

"  I  know  no  future  but  God." — Catherine  Booth. 

"  Who  goeth  the  way  which  Christ  hath  gone,  is  much 
more  sure  to  meet  with  Him  than  one  that  travelleth 
byways." — Selected. 

"With  bowed  heads  and  open  hearts  we  offer  our- 
selves, we  can  do  no  more,  and  we  dare  do  no  less." — 
Westcott. 


I  said,  '  Let  me  walk  in  the  fields,' 
He  said,  *  No,  walk  in  the  town  * ; 

I  said,  *  There  are  no  flowers  there,* 
He  said,  '  No  flowers,  but  a  crown.' 

I  said,  '  But  the  skies  are  black, 
There  is  nothing  but  noise  and  din,* 

And  He  wept  as  He  sent  me  back: 
*  There  is  more,'  He  said,  '  there  is  sin.* 

I  said,  '  But  the  air  is  thick. 

And  fogs  are  veiling  the  sun,* 
He  answered,  *  Yet  hearts  are  sick. 

And  souls  in  the  dark  undone.* 

I  said,  *  I  shall  miss  the  light, 
And  friends  will  miss  me,  they  say,* 

He  answered,  '  Choose  to-night. 
If  I  am  to  miss  you  or  they.' 

I  pleaded  for  time  to  be  given, 

He  said,  '  Is  it  hard  to  decide  ? 
It  will  not  seem  hard  in  Heaven,  ^ 

To  have  followed  the  steps  of  your  guide."  I 

— MacDonald. 


VI 

AN  EARLY  CHURCH  ILLUSTRATION 

TURN  to  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles.     We  wish  to   study 
the  best  illustration  upon  our  subject 
in  the  entire  Word  of  God. 

In  this  chapter  we  see  clearly  presented  a 
most  remarkable  illustration  of  individual  per- 
sonal work.  Notice  the  first  men- 
tion of  Philip  in  the  fifth  verse: 
*'  Then  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of 
Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  unto  them." 
Now  go  back,  if  you  will,  to  the  time  when 
this  man  of  God  begins  in  the  Church,  when 
he  is  chosen  a  deacon  (sixth  chapter,  fifth 
verse).  And  before  we  read  that  fifth  verse, 
read  the  third  verse  of  the  sixth  chapter: 
**  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  among  you 
seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint 
over  this  business." 

What  was  the  first  characteristic  of  these 
127 


128  Recruiting  for  Christ 

men? — "Honest  report."  What  would  you 
give  as  a  synonym  of  those  two 
words  to-day?  ''Reputation" — 
yes,  I  want  another  word  ?  "  Character  " — 
yes,  another?  You  are  leading  up  to  it? 
''Consistency!"  That  is  the  word  I  want. 
"  Honest  report  "  means  the  consistency  of  a 
man's  life.  An  inconsistent  man  is  out  of 
the  work  from  the  standpoint  of  influence. 
A  great  difficulty  to-day  in  doing  personal 
work  is  found  in  the  inconsistency  of  God's 
children. 

Others  say  this,  and  we  resent  it,  for  we  be- 
lieve a  large  proportion  of  the  Church  of  God 
to-day  are  consistent.  Still,  inconsistency  is 
the  first  great  barrier  to  service. 

What  was  the  second  requisite?     "Full  of 

the  Holy  Ghost  and  Wisdom."     Now,  if  we 

paraphrase  that  sentence  we  would 
Spirituality  u  o    •  •.      v^     ^y      -i-t. 

say —    Spirituality.       They    were 

men  of  genuine  piety,  but  they  were  more. 

What  is  a  synonym  for  wisdom  ?     "  Common 

sense,"— yes  ?     "  Tact,"— yes  ?     "  Cleverness," 

— yes,  but  a  more  exact  word  ?   "  Discretion !  " 

Discretion  is  wisdom  in  action?     A  man  who 

knows  how  to  act  wisely  just  at  the  right  time. 

How  is  wisdom  distinguished  from  knowledge? 

"It  is  the  practical  side  of  it."     Wisdom  is 


An  Early  Illustration  129 

knowledge  applied.  God  wants  men  who 
know,  but  He  wants  men  who  have  wisdom, — 
men  who  know  how  to  act.  God's  men  then 
must  be  men  of  spirituality  and  discretion. 

These  three  words  stand  out  first  in  this 
chapter  as  requirements  of  character — consis- 
tency, spirituality,  and  discretion. 

Christ  needs  in  His  work  men  who  have  all 
three  of  these  qualities.  Not  two  out  of  three, 
but  three. 

Suppose  a  man  has  consistency  and  discre- 
tion, but  lacks  spirituality !  Or,  discretion  and 
spirituality,  but  lacks  consistency!  Or,  con- 
sistency and  spirituality,  but  lacks  discretion! 
He  is  not  the  man  to  do  effective  personal 
work  for  Christ.  There  are  many  such  peo- 
ple. They  are  always  getting  into  trouble,  and 
cannot  understand  why.  One  of  these  is  lack- 
ing; apology  follows  constantly,  and  ordinarily 
apology  means  weakness.  Christ  wants  con- 
sistency, spirituality,  and  common  sense  in  all 
things.  This  form  of  Christianity  wins  men. 
I  was  once  preaching  to  a  lot  of  coloured  men 
in  Baltimore,  and  laid  down  the  law  rather  di- 
rectly as  to  consistency  of  life.  I  said :  "  You 
must  be  consistent  if  you  have  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  in  your  life,  and  then  you  must  also  be 
wise.     If  you  are  consistent  Christ  will  use  you, 


130  Recruiting  for  Christ 

but  if  you  are  not  honourable  God  cannot  use 
you."  A  man  suddenly  rose  and  said :  "  Min- 
ister, you  are  right,  and  I  tell  you  now  I  am  go- 
ing to  pay  Brother  Jones  $25  that  I  owe  him," 
Brother  Jones,  further  back,  got  up  and 
shouted :  "  Hallelujah,  this  is  a  revival !  " 

Do  you  know,  eight  coloured  men  were  con- 
verted and  received  into  the  Baptist  and  Meth- 
odist churches  (none  of  them  happened  to  be 
Presbyterians).  Consistency,  spirituality,  and 
common  honesty  constituted  a  revival  there. 

A  man  sometimes  has  a  spiritual  inclination, 
but  lacks  the  common-sense  consistency  of  life 
which  counts.  A  man  cannot  be  spiritual  unless 
he  is  true  to  the  ideals  of  right, — although  he 
may  be  self -deceived  or  deluded.  If,  however, 
with  a  sincere  moral  and  spiritual  purpose,  a 
man  looks  to  God  for  help,  God  will  give  him 
discretion. 

(Verse  5,  chapter  6.)  "And  the  saying 
pleased  the  whole  multitude:  and  they  chose 
Stephen,  a  man  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  Philip/"  Now  go  over  again  to 
the  eighth  chapter,  the  fifth  verse,  which  we 
were  considering:  ''Then  Philip  went  down 
to  the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ 
unto  them." 

Is    there    a   distinction   between   preaching 


An  Early  Illustration  131 

Christ  and  preaching  about  Christ  ?  Is  there  a 
distinction  between  preaching  in  the  Power  of 
the  Spirit,  and  preaching  about  the  things  of 
the  Spirit?  The  point  I  want  to  bring  out  is 
that  "  He  preached  Christ." 

If  a  man  preaches  Christ  he  must  have 
Christ  in  him.  He  may  preach  about  Christ 
without  having  Christ  in  him.  preaching 
There  has  been  too  much  preaching  Christ 
about  Christ  and  about  the  Word  of  God,  and 
not  enough  preaching  Christ  and  the  Word. 
It  is  certainly  true  that  the  man  who  preaches 
Christ  and  preaches  the  Word  has  a  hearing 
to-day,  but  there  are  countless  men  who  are 
preaching  about  Christ  and  about  the  Word 
who  do  not  have.  What  the  world  wants  is 
Christ,  and  Christ  must  be  incarnate  in  man 
if  He  is  to  be  real. 

But  this  verse  has  also  the  thought  of  sim- 
plicity: "He  preached  Christ  unto  them." 
What  w^as  the  result?  "  The  peo- 
ple with  one  accord  gave  heed  unto 
those  things  which  he  spake."  What  is  the 
rest  of  that  verse?  "  Hearing  and  seeing  the 
miracles  which  he  did."  What  word  do  we 
want  now?  "Results."  The  greatest  testimony 
of  effective  service  is  the  result  of  that  service. 
You  do  not  have  to  tabulate  results  in  order  to 


132  Recruiting  for  Christ 

have  people  beHeve  them.  Some  one  has  said : 
*'  There  are  three  kinds  of  Hes  in  the  world — 
white  lies,  black  lies,  and  statistics!"  If  re- 
sults are  gained  in  the  lives  of  men,  they  are 
not  merely  figures.  These  results  have  be- 
come realities,  and  people  believe. 

People  cannot  be  permanently  deceived  in 
what  they  see  and  hear.  What  did  Peter  say 
when  the  Council  told  him  to  keep  his  mouth 
shut  and  stop  preaching?  He  fearlessly  re- 
plied :  "  We  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which 
we  have  seen  and  heard/'  The  result  was  sure 
because  of  what  he  had  seen  and  heard. 
Miracles  had  counted.  It  was  so  in  Samaria. 
The  result  was  that  ''  Unclean  spirits  cried  out 
with  a  loud  voice  and  came  out  of  the  people 
possessed  with  them." 

What  is  the  order  of  such  service?  Sim- 
plicity, attention,  results. 

What  next  ?  Read  the  eighth  verse :  "  And 
there  was  great  joy  in  that  city."     Put  down 

Simplicity,  the  word  "  Happiness."  God  wants 
resuUs°^'  happy  faces  and  happy  lives  and 
happiness  enthusiastic  service.  You  know 
the  word  enthusiasm  means  "  God  in  us,"  and 
that  means  joy.  The  first  chorus  at  Bethlehem 
was  the  joy  cry  of  the  angels :  ''  Behold  I  bring 
you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to 


An  Early  Illustration  133 

all  people."  We  have  no  right  to  be  anything 
but  happy,  and  if  we  are  happy  in  our  Chris- 
tian lives  almost  all  our  difficulties  will  be  re- 
moved. 

I  was  tired  out  last  night.  I  went  to  sleep 
and  woke  up  this  morning  a  new  man.  Every- 
thing I  considered  last  night  troubled  me.  As 
I  tossed,  this  verse  came  to  mind :  "  Thou  wilt 
keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed 
on  Thee."  Sleep  followed  and  I  woke  up  this 
morning  as  happy  as  a  lark.  God  wants  us  just 
to  trust  Him  and  be  cheerful.  Did  you  ever 
know  a  cross  man  who  was  helpful  ?  You  pick 
up  the  telephone  in  the  morning  and  the  ex- 
change does  not  answer  promptly.  You  say 
excitedly :  ''  Well,  I  have  been  trying  to  get  this 
number  for  five  minutes."  We  do  not  realise 
that  the  telephone  girl  is  human.  And  then 
we  perhaps  say:  "  Who  is  this,  anyway?  "  (and 
that  remark  will  anger  anybody  over  the  tele- 
phone). 

Think  of  a  Christian  man  starting  in  the 
day  that  way.  Why  not  realise :  **  Thou  wilt 
keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed 
on  Thee." 

How  much  new  business  can  a  man  do  in 
that  way?  The  business  men  who  are  suc- 
cessful are  those  who  are  cheerful  and  con- 


134  Recruiting  for  Christ 

sistent, — men  who  carry  good  nature  with 
them. 

Many  a  man  to-day  is  unsuccessful  in  his 
business  Hfe  simply  because  he  has  not  realised 
that  God  can  help  him  overcome  ill-temper. 

"  There  was  great  joy  in  that  city."  Well, 
"Simon"  came  along  (verse  13).  He  had 
his  hand  in  his  pocket !  He  was  a  mercenary 
man !  He  was  the  man  looking  out  for  every- 
thing that  was  coming  his  way.  Read  verse  9 : 
"  There  was  a  certain  man  called  Simon,  which 
be  foretime  in  the  same  city  used  sorcery,  and 
bewitched  the  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out 
that  himself  was  some  great  one,  to  whom  they 
all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest, 
saying.  This  man  is  the  great  power  of  God. 
And  to  him  they  had  regard,  because  that  of 
long  time  he  had  bewitched  them  with  sorceries. 
But  when  they  believed  Philip  preaching  the 
things  concerning  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptised, 
both  men  and  women." 

li  you  are  a  personal  worker  for  God,  chosen 
because  you  are  consistent  and  spiritually 
minded  and  discreet,  and  if  you  have  gone  at 
your  work  in  simplicity,  people  have  given  you 
attention.  But  you  will  surely  find  some  peo- 
ple who  are  hypocritical.     Do  not   let   them 


An  Early  Illustration  135 

trouble  you.  Perhaps  some  are  making  the 
Church  a  ladder  for  social  climbing.  Some 
years  ago  a  woman  wrote  to  me,  saying,  "  I 
want  my  son  to  join  your  church,  because  I 
am  socially  ambitious  for  him."  (I  had  a  talk 
with  each  of  them  before  he  joined.)  There 
are  also  people  who  are  associated  with  the 
Church  who  are  doing  wrong. 

But  note,  Philip  did  not  say  anything  about 
Simon.  Do  you  know  the  best  way  to  destroy 
these  things?  Preach  Jesus  Christ  and  win 
men  to  Him.  "  Overcome  evil  with  good.'* 
The  evils  of  to-day  have  in  some  cases  received 
advertisement  from  the  good  people  who  have 
talked  of  them.  Philip  did  not  do  that.  He 
just  went  on  preaching  Christ.  What  was  the 
result?  (Verse  12.)  ''But  when  they  be- 
lieved Philip  preaching  the  things  concerning 
the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  they  were  baptised."  ''  And  when  they 
believed/'  Men  came;  men  will  come  as  the 
jailer  came  to  Paul  that  night  and  will  say: 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

We  do  not  realise  that  we  will  not  be  con- 
demned for  our  sin,  but  for  our  unbelief.  This 
point  is  not  emphasised  in  dealing  with  the  un- 
converted. Men  are  not  going  to  be  con- 
demned for  their  sins,  but  for  their  unbelief  in 


136  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Christ.  Because  they  do  not  believe.  The 
great  sin  is  the  sin  of  unbelief !  Every  other 
sin  is  related  to  it.  And  belief  is  very 
definitely  associated  with  life.  When  men  be- 
lieve, what  follows  and  what  the  results? 
**  They  were  baptised,  both  men  and  women." 
A  word  suggested  by  this  statement  as  to 
confessing  Christ.  I  like  the  word  "  con- 
fession "    better    than    the    word 

Confession  ,.  r  •  „         a  r  r  r 

profession.  If  ye  confess  Me 

before  men."  The  word  *'  profession "  is 
much  associated  to-day  with  ''  professional." 
It  is  not  enough  to  lead  men  to  belief,  we  want 
to  lead  them  into  open  confession  of  Christ  by 
uniting  with  His  Church.  Go  with  them,  if 
wise,  when  they  take  this  step. 

In  the  25th  verse  we  read  :  "  And  they,  when 
they  had  testified  and  preached  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  preached  the 
gospel  in  many  villages  of  the  Samaritans." 
But  the  26th  verse  surprises  us,  "  And  the 
Angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying, 
'  Arise  and  go  toward  the  south,  unto  the  way 
that  goeth  down  from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza, 
which  is  desert.'  " 

What  a  strange  command!  Was  not  his 
work  being  greatly  honoured?  Could  this  be 
God's  command  ? 


An  Early  Illustration  137 

What  did  Philip  do?  ''He  went."  Im- 
mediate response. 

Spontaneous  obedience  to  God's  call.     That 

meant   no    reasoning,    no   argument.     It   was 

the    definite,    quick    response    of    his    life    to 

God's  order  and  direction.     I  think 

,  .    .  .    ,  ,  Obedience 

almost  any  mmister  of  the  gospel  or 

Christian  worker  would  naturally  question,  if 

in  Philip's  place,  why  he  should  leave  Samaria. 

We  cannot  help  being  influenced  by  numbers. 

Could   not   Philip   have   justly   said,    *'  Think 

of  these  poor  despised  Samaritans,  they  are 

happy  and  believing,  and  are  confessing  Thee. 

Oh  Lord,  why  take  me  away  from  this  work? 

I  surely  ought  to  stay  here  and  reap  these  great 

results  for  Thee !  "     No,  God  said,  ''  Go  to  the 

desert,"  and  Philip  went  to  the  desert.     God 

never  sends  a  man  without  going  before  him. 

God  spells  his  word  ""  Go  " — "  C-o-m-e."  God's 

*'  go "     always     means     *'  come."  qq  ^nd 

You  can  trace  it  from  Genesis  right       ^^^^ 

through  the  Word  of  God.     When  He  told 

Noah  to  go  into  the  Ark  He  said :  ''  Come  thou 

into  the  Ark."     He  never  sent  a  missionary  to 

a  dark  land  without  going  before  Keith 

him.     Keith     Falconer,     when     a        Falconer 

young  student  of  England,  a  rare  linguist  in 

Eastern    languages,    said,    ''  I    am    going    to 


138  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Arabia."  He  went  there,  but  he  followed 
Christ  in  going.  Christ  was  in  Arabia  before 
him.  He  died  there,  but  what  has  he  done? 
Hear  the  great  echo  coming  back  to-day  from 
the  men  who  are  going  to  that  land.  Keith 
Falconer  heard  God  say  *'  Go,"  but  it  was 
"  Come." 

Alexander  Duff  did  not  say  in  India,  *'  God 
sent  me  here," — no,   '*  God  called  me  here." 

Alexander  God  never  sends  us  anywhere  that 
^^^  He  does  not  go  ahead  and  make 

ready  for  us. 

In  the  next  chapter  of  Acts  (verse  10), 
we  read  that  when  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  con- 
verted God  went  ahead  to  this  city  of  Damas- 
cus ;  "  And  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at 
Damascus,  named  Ananias,  and  to  him  said  the 
Lord  in  a  vision,  '  Ananias.'  And  he  said, 
*  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord.'  "  The  Divine  mes- 
senger continues,  "  For  behold,  this  man,  Saul 
of  Tarsus,  prayeth,  and  hath  seen  in  a  vision 
a  man  named  Ananias  coming  in  and  putting 
his  hand  on  him  that  he  might  receive  his 
sight."  ..."  But  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go 
thy  way,  for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me  to 
bear  my  name  before  the  Gentiles."  The  17th 
verse  says :  "  And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and 
entered  into  the  house;  and  putting  his  hands 


An  Early  Illustration  139 

on  him  said.  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord,  even 
Jesus,  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as 
thou  earnest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  mightest 
receive  thy  sight  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

God  always  goes  ahead  of  us  to  prepare  the 
way.  If  one  of  us  has  a  peculiar  incentive  to 
do  some  concrete  personal  work  for  God,  be  as- 
sured Jesus  Christ  will  go  before  you  and  pre- 
pare the  way. 

Well,   what   did   Philip   do   in  the   desert? 

(Verse  27.)     He  found  a  needy  man  there,  "  a 

man   who   came    to   Jerusalem   to     „,     ^ 

*'  The  desert 

worship."  Be  careful  how  you 
criticise  the  man  who  does  not  agree  with  you 
in  his  particular  faith.  There  are  those  who 
do  not  believe  just  as  we  do  as  to  Jesus  Christ 
and  His  teaching,  and  sometimes  we  in- 
stinctively say,  "  I  cannot  have  anything  to  do 
with  these  people." 

There  are  also  those  who  differ  from  us  in 
their  forms  of  worship.  Wait,  they  may  be 
reading  in  the  desert,  and  our  hostile  attitude 
may  keep  them  from  the  truth.  Our  question 
should  be,  are  they  sincere  men,  not,  do  these 
men  agree  exactly  with  me.  If  we  have  the 
truth,  let  us  ask  God  to  give  us  power  to  give 
it  to  them. 


140  Recruiting  for  Christ 

(Acts  8:  28-30.)  This  Ethiopian  "  was  re- 
turning, and  sitting  in  his  chariot,  read  Esaias 
the  prophet.  Then  the  Spirit  said  unto  PhiHp, 
Go  near  and  join  thyself  to  this  chariot.  And 
Phihp  ran  thither  to  him  and  heard  him  read 
the  Prophet  Esaias." 

What  did  PhiHp  do— walk?     No,  he  RAN! 
Study  in  the  Scripture  the  word  "  ran."   "  Run- 
ning "  is  Scriptural  exercise.     Did 
Running  .        .  -r^      -i 

you   ever  notice   how   David   met 

Goliath?  He  picked  up  the  stones,  and  then 
he  RAN  toward  him.  I  can  see  him  stop  a 
moment  and  poise  himself  as  he  whirled  that 
sling.  Christ  wants  us  to  be  aggressive  for 
Him. 

Did  you  ever  see  a  football  team  win  that 
simply  did  defensive  work?  You  won't  put 
the  ball  over  the  goal  line  for  a  touch-down 
simply  by  defensive  play.  Offensive  play  is 
needed.  Defensive  work  has  its  place,  but 
what  the  Church  needs  is  offensive,  aggressive 
work  for  Him. 

Philip  RAN  to  that  chariot.  He  could  not 
get  there   fast  enough.     See  what  sort  of  a 

reception  awaited  him.  He  was  in 
XiQ.m6stn6ss 

earnest.  Earnestness  glows,  it  at- 
tracts. We  need  more  enthusiasm  to  do  His 
work  aright. 


An  Early  Illustration  141 

I  wish  I  had  time  to  tell  you  about  a  lad  who 
started  a  church  in  one  of  our  suburbs  in  Balti- 
more. No  one  encouraged  him,  but  he  saw 
the  opportunity.  One  day,  calling  his  dog  to 
follow,  he  said,  ''  Come  on,  Fido,  let's  go  out 
into  the  woods  and  pray  it  all  out.  The  Lord 
is  with  us."  It  was  nothing  more  or  less  than 
his  belief  in  God  and  his  splendid  running  to 
his  work.  A  splendid  growing  church  of  over 
two  hundred  members  is  now  the  result.  Read 
Mr.  Moody's  sermon  on  "  Enthusiasm."  I 
have  read  it  many  dozens  of  times.  It  will  help 
you  run  to  your  work. 

The  open  Bible  did  the  rest.  Two  or  three 
Jews  were  interested  in  the  gospel  but  still  did 
not  g-ive  their  hearts  to  God. 
Those  men  began  to  read  the  Gos- 
pel of  John,  and  the  result  was  their  conversion. 
They  became  most  active  men  in  their  own  city, 
and  are  to-day. 

(Verse  30.)  Philip  said  to  the  eunuch, 
"  Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest  ? " 
and  he  replied,  ''  How  can  I,  except  some 
man  should  guide  me?  And  he  desired 
Philip  that  he  would  come  up  and  sit  with 
him." 

Think  of  the  democracy  of  reading  and 
studying  God's  Word!     Here  was  this  noble- 


142  Recruiting  for  Christ 

man  saying  to  a  desert  stranger,  "  Come 
up  and  sit  in  this  chariot  and  read  with 
me." 

(Verses  34-35O  The  eunuch  said  unto 
Phihp  (and  reading  the  Bible  will  always  set 
people  to  asking  questions),  "Does  he  speak 
of  himself  or  some  other  man?  " 

"  Then  Philip  opened  his  mouth  and  began 
at  the  same  Scripture,  and  preached  unto  him 
Jesus." 

If  our  hearts  are  right  before  God  and  we 
know  the  Word,  we  can  begin  at  that  same 
Scripture  and  win  men. 

The  greatest  personal  work  is  with  the  open 
Bible,  when  men  go  through  a  chapter  together, 
taking  time  to  do  it  thoroughly,  not  hurriedly 
and  excitedly,  but  where  we  can  go  into  it 
carefully. 

We  can  reach  men  as  they  are  going,  and  go 
with  them  till  decision  comes. 

(Verses  36-37.)  "And  as  they  went  on 
their  way,  they  came  unto  a  certain  water,  and 
the  eunuch  said.  See,  here  is  water;  what  doth 
hinder  me  to  be  baptised?  And  Philip  said, 
If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou 
mayest."  (And,  thank  God,  that  is  the 
only  requisite  that  Jesus  Christ  asks.)  I  do 
not  know  an  Evangelical  Church  that  will  ex- 


An  Early  Illustration  143 

elude  a  man  from  confessing  Christ,  if  he 
will  express  this  simple  faith.  If  he  sincerely 
says,  ''  Lord,  I  believe." 

It  was  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  had  preached 
to  the  eunuch.  ''  I  believe,"  he  said,  *'  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God." 

(Verses  38-40.)  "He  commanded  the 
chariot  to  stand  still ;  and  they  both  went  down 
into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch ;  and 
he  baptised  him.  And  when  they  were  come 
up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
caught  away  Philip,  that  the  eunuch  saw  him 
no  more;  and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing. 
But  Philip  was  found  at  Azotus;  and  passing 
through  he  preached  in  all  the  cities,  till  he 
came  to  Cesarea." 

Suddenly  Philip  vanishes,  and  is  not  heard 
of  for  twenty-five  years. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  unre- 
corded service  we  have  in  all  the  Scripture. 
The  missionaries  from  Africa  have  told  us  that 
down  in  that  dark  continent  of  heathenism, 
where  there  is  not  a  written  language,  they  find 
a  tradition  passed  on  from  generation  to  gen- 
eration, that  a  great  soul  far  up  in  the  North 
Country  died  on  a  cross  for  his  fellow-men, 
that  somehow  the  mighty  God  might  be  ap- 
peased.    From  mouth  to  mouth,   for  twenty 


144  Recruiting  for  Christ 

centuries, — almost  sixty  generations, — in  a  land 
of  sin  and  wretchedness  and  night. 

In  this  wonderful  story  we  have  found  an 
illustration  of  the  Almighty  God  saying  to  some 
of  us,  ''  Do  not  think  so  much  about  numbers, 
about  records  and  statistics  and  annual  reports, 
but  go  into  the  desert  for  one  soul."  The 
desert  is  the  place  where  Moses  found  God! 
And  Paul,  and  John  the  Baptist,  and  Christ. 
In  the  desert  they  found  Him. 

And  in  that  desert  He  may  still  be  found. 
Philip  found  his  greatest  follower  there.  There 
He  may  give  to  us  the  power  to  reach  single 
men  individually,  and  open  to  them  the  Scrip- 
tures, that  they  may  go  on  their  way  rejoicing. 

"  Where  He  leads  me  I  will  follow." 


VII 

THE  MAN  WHO  IS 
INDIFFERENT 


"  There  is  less  practical  discouragement  in  the  oppo- 
sition of  bad  people  than  in  the  inertia  of  good 
people." — Dr.  Boyd. 

"  The  depreciation  of  Christianity  by  indifference  is  a 
more  insidious  and  less  curable  evil  than  infidelity 
itself." — Whately. 

"  Ring  out  the  care,  the  want,  the  sin, 
The  faithless  coldness  of  the  times. 
Ring  out,  ring  out  my  mournful  rhymes, 
But  ring  the  fuller  minstrel  in." 

— Tennyson. 

"Whatsoever  ye  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord, 
and  not  unto  men." — Colossians  3:  23. 

"  Because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor 
hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth." — Revelation 
3: 16. 


VII 

THE  MAN  WHO  IS  INDIFFERENT 

SOME  words  have  become  trite  from  neces- 
sity; simply  because  they  have  no  exact 
synonym.  This  word  '^  indifferent  "  is 
an  illustration.  It  has  no  synonym  which  ex- 
actly defines  the  class.  By  far  the  largest 
number  of  those  who  are  unreached  to-day  be- 
long to  the  ''  indifferent," — those  who  are  with- 
out any  real  interest  in  vital  Christianity.  They 
may  be  subdivided  many  times,  for  among 
their  number  all  kinds  of  differing  conditions 
and  temperaments  are  found, — the  self-satis- 
fied, the  egotist,  the  self-righteous,  the  critic, 
the  cynic,  the  worldly-wise,  the  careless,  the 
weak,  the  coward,  the  inconsistent,  the  unfor- 
giving, the  blackslider,  the  hardened :  all  these 
and  many  others  have  their  place  within  the 
ranks  of  the  indifferent.  This  is  the  greatest 
field  of  opportunity  we  have,  and  still  we  are 
inclined  to  feel  that  the  indifferent  man  is  an 
impossibility.  If  this  were  the  accepted  con- 
147 


148  Recruiting  for  Christ 

elusion  in  the  business  world  to-day,  how 
quickly  commercial  activity  would  retrograde. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  indifferent  men  form 
the  great  battlefield  of  enterprising  business 
activity.  The  mere  motto,  "  Write  New  Busi- 
ness," faces  this  field  of  indifference  and  con- 
quers it.  The  man  who  lacks  interest  is  the 
very  man  whom  we  should  try  to  win. 

We  are  not  to  let  him  think  we  are  trying  to 
win  him.  If  wise,  we  will  not  even  let  him 
infer  that  we  look  upon  him  as  belonging  to 
this  class.  If  we  are  to  gain  his  interest,  we 
simply  handicap  our  approach  if  we  give  him 
the  impression  that  we  look  upon  him  as  a 
problem.  Let  us  rather  consider  this  man 
sanely  and  practically.  He  is  not  indifferent 
by  purpose,  but  by  result.  To  misjudge  or 
misconstrue  his  motive  in  life  is  unfair.  He  has 
not  aimed  at  a  life  of  religious  indifference. 
Frequently  the  very  fact  that  he  is  so  tre- 
mendously in  earnest  in  other  things  is  the 
cause  of  this  very  effect. 

The  greatest  cause  of  religious  indifference 
in  our  day  is  found  in  mans  engrossing  fidel- 
ity to  other  things.     Most  men  are 
Absorbed  ,.         ,     .      .         .       , 

not  spendmg  their  time  m  the  pur- 
suit of  culture,  philosophy,  art,  literature,  logic, 
but  are  controlled  with   life's  affairs.     Esti- 


The  Indifferent  Man  149 

mating  from  personal  experience,  over  fifty 
per  cent,  of  the  men  who  do  not  attend  church 
and  who  are  looked  upon  as  indifferent  to  all 
church  matters,  if  approached  frankly,  will  say 
something  like  this :  "  Well,  I  ought  to  be  in  the 
Church  and  should  take  more  interest.  I  want 
my  boy  to  be  in  the  Church  and  Sunday  school. 
I  believe  in  the  Church  and  in  Christianity,  but 
the  fact  is  I  have  been  too  busy,  and  I  am  too 
busy." 

It  is  not  his  opposition  to  the  Church,  nor  his 
critical  attitude.  He  is  absorbed  in  other 
things. 

Among  young  men,  the  pursuit  of  pleasure 
is  oft-times  absorbing,  and  with  some  this  is 
not  entirely  overcome  in  maturer  years,  espe- 
cially where  self-indulgence  or  appetite  con- 
trols. The  recent  rapid  development  of  cheap 
forms  of  amusement  and  public  entertainment, 
not  only  in  our  great  cities,  but  in  our  towns 
and  even  rural  districts,  is  noteworthy.  More 
than  one  magazine  writer  has  re- 
cently  quoted  statistics  showing  the 
vast  amount  of  money  being  spent  in  erecting 
places  of  amusement.  In  some  communities 
more  money  has  been  spent  recently  upon  this 
form  of  structure  than  upon  any  other.  Where 
there  is  a  demand  there  will  be  a  supply,  and  a 


150  Recruiting  for  Christ 

pleasure-engrossed  people  seem  to  become  in- 
toxicated with  the  mere  temporal  fascination  of 
the  hour,  heart  and  mind  absorbed  in  this  de- 
sire to  have  a  good  time.  There  is  something 
pathetic,  as  well  as  prophetic,  in  the  long  line 
of  varied  humanity  edging  its  way  forward 
step  by  step  before  one  of  our  cheap  theatres 
at  the  matinee.  Just  in  the  thick  of  the  busy 
hours  of  valuable  time,  amid  the  throb  of  activ- 
ity and  the  enterprise  of  the  thrifty,  we  see 
men,  women,  and  children,  well-dressed  and 
ill-clad,  crowding  each  other  forward  with 
the  one  thought  of  the  best  seat  possible  at  the 
cheap  show. 

But  this  form  of  absorption  is  not  the  pri- 
mary one,  especially  in  the  industrious  age  in 
which  we  live.  The  larger  share  are  intent 
upon  the  things  which  have  to  do  with  their 
engrossing  ambition.  They  may  be  selfish,  but 
they  are  thrifty.  They  are  enthusiastic  chil- 
dren of  a  far  too  material  age.  Bodies  and 
brains  grow   so  tired   and   wearied  with   six 

Over-  days'   hard   labour, — and  too   fre- 

worked  men  quently  a  seventh  day, — that  their 
indifference  becomes  almost  a  physical  neces- 
sity. With  perfect  frankness  they  say  :  ''  We 
have  no  time  for  the  Church  or  Christian  activ- 
ity."    Then,  when  physical  break  comes,  they 


The  Indifferent  Man  151 

are  usually  incapacitated  both  mentally  and 
nervously,  to  face  the  great  moral  and  spiritual 
question.  These  men  must  be  reached,  for  the 
very  qualities  which  now  direct  their  lives,  if 
rightly  attracted  and  guided  within  the  Church 
of  God,  will  accomplish  great  things.  These 
men  are  being  reached  Men  are  to-day  com- 
ing, chosen  by  their  fellow-men  to  lead  in  the 
great  religious  enterprises  which  are  meeting 
with  such  marked  success.  These  men  are 
harnessing  business  ability  with  spiritual  en- 
thusiasm, and,  although  before  solely  interested 
in  other  things,  they  are  now  giving  like  direc- 
tion to  the  things  pertaining  to  Jesus  Christ 
and  His  Kingdom. 

In  the  Word  of  God  we  learn  how  to  win 
these  very  men.  Jesus  Christ  sought  men  from 
this  very  class.  Let  us  approach  these  men 
with  a  personal,  intense,  enthusiastic  knowl- 
edge and  belief  in  Divine  Power.  To  appeal 
with  examples  of  success  and  accomplishment 
is  far  better  than  the  negative  approach  of 
failure  and  loss.  In  referring  to  the  parable 
of  the  Pounds,  as  found  in  Luke  19,  or  Mat- 
thew 21,  let  us  not  quote  the  verse  "  Take  from 
him  the  one  pound,"  but  the  other  side,  ''  Lord, 
thy  pound  hath  gained  ten  pounds,"  thus  ap- 
pealing to  the  man's  opportunity.   We  have  not 


152  Recruiting  for  Christ 

a  Saviour  who  simply  saves  us  from  sin,  but 
One  who  saves  us  for  service.   To  arrest  the  at- 

Saved  for  tention  of  an  engrossed  man,  giv- 
service  {^ig  his  hfe  to  the  temporal  work 

about  him,  we  must  inspire  him  with  a  loftier 
purpose.  Appeal  to  the  opportunity  to-day  in 
Christian  service.  Show  how  a  man  may  mul- 
tiply himself  as  an  agency  for  God  in  winning 
strong  men.  Talk  of  the  men  who  have  done 
something  in  life  and  are  doing  something  in 
life,  and  skip  references  to  the  man  whose  life 
has  been  thrown  away. 

This  attention  cannot  be  gained  easily,  nor 
carelessly,  but  it  must  be  the  result  of  informa- 
tion and  fact,  and  this  means  that  we  must 
cease  using  commonplace  platitudes  as  to 
religious  needs,  and  startle  men  by  real  and 
striking  information  backed  by  fact  and  knowl- 
edge which  have  become  our  own.  The 
thoughtful  man  to-day  not  only  has  access  to 
the  best  which  the  past  has  offered  in  the  rare 
culture  of  the  ages,  but  he  has  the  ready  ap- 
proach to  the  present-day  activities  and  accom- 
plishments of  those  who  are  in  the  van  of 
Christian  service.  To  buy  a  modern  book 
alive  with  such  record,  and  inscribe  the  fly-leaf 
with  a  sentence  which  will  insure  its  reading, 
may  mean  an  arrested  mind  and  an  enthusi- 


The  Indifferent  Man  153 

astic  recruit  from  among  these  indifferent 
friends. 

Again,  appeal  to  these  men  with  the  argu- 
ment of  real  life  values.     The  appeal  that  the 

mere  possession  of  thinsfs  is  not 

,      ,        ,.  ,      .,,,.,  Real  values 

worth  the  disregard  of  all  higher 

values  is  strong.  By  inference  this  truth  may 
be  backed  up  with  such  a  reference  as  Matthew 
21 :  37-38.  Those  wicked  husbandmen  disre- 
garded all  law  and  justice  through  the  terrible 
influence  of  the  craving  for  possession.  They 
overlooked  the  rightful  inheritance,  even  to  an 
insane  foolishness  of  deed.  We  read :  "  But 
last  of  all  he  sent  unto  them  His  Son."  So  far 
did  this  insane  craving  control  that  they  slew 
Him.  Such  striking  illustrations  demand  at- 
tention. The  hearts  of  most  men  revolt  at 
the  mere  suggestion  of  such  criminal  extrem- 
ity, but  cannot  disregard  that  a  principle  is  in- 
volved. That  principle  suggests  that  men  who 
are  not  criminals,  or  who  would  not  even  break 
the  law,  are  to-day  robbing  life  and  themselves 
of  their  greatest  possible  inheritance  in  their 
thoughtless  eagerness  for  possession.  Of  what 
use  is  money  or  mere  possession  if  health  and 
love  do  not  make  its  use  valuable?  What 
greater  possession  is  there  in  the  world,  what 
greater  inheritance  can  you  leave  a  child  than 


154  Recruiting  for  Christ 

the  training  and  memory  gained  by  a  God- 
fearing fireside?  Will  not  this  inheritance 
cause  children  to  rise  up  and  call  the  man 
blessed  who  has  thus  accumulated  life's  real 
values  ? 

This  suggests  another  opening  too  seldom  en- 
tered.    It  applies  to  the  man  who  has  a  home, 

— the  man  with  a  family.  He  is 
The  home  ,.,.,.,,  ^^ 

mterested  m  his  children.  Every- 
thing which  suggests  real  benefit  to  his  chil- 
dren immediately  appeals  to  him.  No  matter 
how  dissatisfied  he  may  be  with  his  own  life, 
he  longs  and  aims  for  higher  things  for  his 
children.  Indifferent  as  to  his  own  spiritual 
life,  he  instinctively  responds  to  a  genuine  in- 
terest in  their  moral  development.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  deliver  lectures  to  him  upon  child- 
training, — in  fact^  that  is  the  very  sort  of  thing 
he  will  not  endure.  But  if,  with  genuine  and 
frank  approach,  you  show  your  interest,  natu- 
rally he  responds.  It  may  be  only  a  casual  re- 
mark :  ''  Your  boy  Henry  is  getting  on  finely 
in  school,  I  understand.  I  had  a  short  walk 
with  him  on  the  drive  the  other  day."  This 
may  lead  to  another  cjuestion,  "  Why  don't  you 
knock  off  a  little  early  at  the  office  and  go  out 
and  see  the  boys  play  ball  in  the  park  some 
evening  ?     They  have  a  good  time,  and  Henry 


The  Indifferent  Man  155 

plays  a  clever  game  at  third.  It  would  do  you 
good  to  get  your  hand  in  a  bit  and  knock  out 
to  the  infield  in  practice."  That  father  may 
reply,  ''  Well,  that  was  my  old  job  on  the  team 
at  college."  True  enough,  Henry  will  be  sur- 
prised if  his  father  does  show  up,  even  to  stand 
and  watch  the  game  a  few  moments,  but  this 
very  thing  may  not  only  accomplish  your  ob- 
ject of  gaining  an  approach  to  the  father,  but 
it  may  also  get  the  boy  into  closer  touch  with 
his  father.  Many  an  indifferent  man  is  reached 
through  his  son  in  just  this  way.  You  now 
have  an  opportunity  to  talk  with  him  about  the 
boy.  The  boy  is  interested  in  uniting  with  the 
Church.  He  is  thinking  seriously  about  these 
matters.  A  single  word  from  the  son  may  in- 
fluence the  father  to  think  seriously  upon  this 
very  subject.  The  word  will  not  be  forced, 
but  spontaneous,  and  the  father  knows  it. 
This  father  is  a  representative  of  a  great  host 
of  men  who  have  not  given  religious  matters 
a  single  thought  in  recent  years,  simply  be- 
cause of  the  absorbing  control  of  other  things 
in  their  lives.  Back  of  all  this  exterior  they 
really  do  value  the  genuine  in  religion  and 
want  to  have  their  children  interested  to  a 
greater  extent  than  they  have  been.  The  child 
may  lead  the  father  and  the  father  the  child, 


156  Recruiting  for  Christ 

if  we  can  get  them  in  touch  with  one 
another. 

A  httle  photograph  on  my  study  mantel  sug- 
gests an  ilkistration.  It  shows  a  schoolgirl 
standing  in  her  little  sailor-suit,  with  her  hands 
behind  her  back;  her  merry  face  seems  almost 
to  tell  the  story  that  she  hates  to  have  her  pic- 
ture taken,  and  wishes  she  could  be  out  of  the 
studio  and  away.  She  calls  back  to  my  mind 
an  afternoon  many  years  ago  in  a  distant  par- 
ish. There  she  is  running  like  the  wind  down 
the  hill  from  the  street,  where  she  lives  around 
the  corner,  in  lead  of  the  other  girls.  I  whistle ; 
she  hears  me  and  is  at  my  side.  "  Coming  to 
call  at  our  house?"  she  said.  "No,  not  to- 
day, dear,  some  other  day.  Are  you  all  well 
at  home?  "  ''  Yes,  indeed,  but  please  come  to 
the  house."  "  No,  not  to-day,  but  give  my 
love  to  all  and  have  a  good  time.  Here,  I  will 
time  you  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  all  of 
you  race."  Of  course  she  wins.  No,  she 
doesn't.  When  she  was  near  the  top  of  the 
hill  she  saw  how  hard  the  second  girl  was  run- 

A  child's  "iiig"'  ^^^  how  disappointed  she 
story  looked,  and  she,  little  pretender  that 

she  was,  made  out  that  she  was  out  of  breath, 
and  the  other  girl  got  there  two  or  three  steps 
ahead.  "  Oh,  you  fraud !  "  I  shouted,  but  same- 


The  Indifferent  Man  157 

how  walked  the  faster  and  felt  a  thrill  of  grati- 
tude and  a  new  impulse  in  the  child's  self-ef- 
facement and  unconscious  sacrifice.     But  one 

day  she  stopped  after  prayer  meet- 

1    1      1-    1     r  11  Influence 

mg,  and  the  little  face  seemed  sober 

and  so  earnest,  and  we  stepped  aside  a  moment 
from  the  others  and  she  told  me  that  she  was 
praying  very  hard  for  her  father.  He  was 
such  a  good  man  and  so  kind  and  loving,  and 
they  were  so  happy  in  their  home,  but  she  did 
so  want  him  to  love  the  Master  and  she  wanted 
me  to  pray  for  him,  and  she  had  my  promise, 
and  it  was  kept.  One  evening  she  had  him  at 
church,  but  he  did  not  seem  especially  inter- 
ested, but  a  few  weeks  later  he  stayed  with  her 
after  the  service,  and  she  introduced  him,  and 
when  she  went  by  me  as  they  went  out,  she 
said  in  an  undertone:  "  Don't  ever  tell,  but  keep 
right  on;"  and  we  did.  One  Sunday  night  she 
came  to  church  in  the  evening  with  two  or  three 
friends,  and,  when  most  of  the  others  were 
gone,  she  quietly  came  up  in  front  of  the  pulpit 
and  said,  "Are  you  praying  for  him  still?" 
and  I  said,  "  Yes,  my  dear ;  let  us  go  in  a  back 
room  a  moment,  and  we  will  pray  together." 
The  prayer  was  simple  and  direct,  but  the 
prayer  that  was  simpler  still  was  the  brief,  child- 
like, earnest  petition  that  she  made :  "  Dear 


158  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Father  in  Heaven,  help  my  father  to  love  Jesus 
the  way  You  helped  me  to  love  You.  I  want  to 
love  Thee,  dear  Lord,  as  much  as  I  love  my 
father,  and  more,  and  I  want  to  be  good  and  to 
show  him  how  Thou  hast  helped  me.  Help 
me  to  be  obedient  and  kind,  and  help  me  to  help 
him,  and  help  him,  please,  to  love  YOU.  For 
Jesus'  sake."  It  was  dark  in  the  room,  and 
better  so,  for  when  we  slipped  out  into  the  light 
she  was  away  with  her  ''  Good-bye,"  and,  some- 
how, she  seemed  more  than  thirteen  or  four- 
teen in  her  faith  life.  But  the  prayer  went  on, 
and  the  father  came,  and  Sunday  after  Sunday 
he  listened,  for  he  was  regular  now  at  the 
service,  and  one  morning  his  face  told  the  story 
of  his  earnestness;  and  that  evening  he  came 
up  of  his  own  accord  and  said  that  once  he  had 
been  more  thoughtful  and  now  wanted  to  be  a 
Christian,  and  come  into  the  Church.  Then  the 
happy  day;  the  face  of  the  child;  the  joy  of 
her  life,  for  only  a  short  time  before  she,  too, 
had  confessed  her  Lord  and  Master;  and  now 
her  joy  was  complete,  and  the  father's  joy  was 
too,  and  they  both  were  in  the  prayer  meeting, 
where  his  voice  was  heard — and  so  simple,  so 
manly,  so  fervent,  so  real.  No  wonder  the 
child  had  learned  to  pray.  How  she  always 
waited  and  came  out  the  door  where  the  min- 


The  Indifferent  Man  159 

ister  stood,  and  always  wanted  to  shake  hands 
when  she  said  good-night !  And  somehow  the 
little  daughter  seemed  no  more  proud  of  the 
father  than  the  father  of  the  child.  The 
months  went  by,  and  in  a  Northern  forest,  just 
returning  from  a  fishing-trip  into  the  woods,  a 
telegram  was  torn  open.  It  was  from  a  distant 
Southern  city.  The  dear  child  could  not  bear 
the  strain  of  the  fever.  Her  little  life  had 
gone,  not  gone  forever,  but  gone  ahead.  The 
little  photograph  on  the  mantelpiece  is  still  be- 
fore my  vision  but  I  seem  to  hear  the  choir  of 
a  countless  heavenly  host,  and  as  I  seek  my  rest 
again,  I  find  myself  humming  an  old  tune: 

*'  Around  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven 
Thousands  of  children  stand, 
Children  whose  sins  are  all  forgiven, 
A  holy,  happy  band, 
Singing,  *  Glory,  glory, 
Glory  be  to  God  on  high.'  " 

And  this  verse  is  on  my  lips :  "  A  little  child 
shall  lead  them."  A  child  has  changed  indif- 
ference into  loyal,  active  faith. 

It  is  sometimes  possible  to  gain  the  man  who 
is  totally  indifferent  by  a  direct,  striking  sen- 
tence.    He  had  been  at  church  a      ^  striking 
night  or  two  before.      He  had  not   sentence 
been  particularly  interested.     The  sermon  had 


i6o  Recruiting  for  Christ 

been  upon  the  old  patriarch,  Noah.  He 
showed  no  interest  until  the  sentence  was 
reached :  ''  You  cannot  hope  to  have  your  son  a 
better  man  than  you  are,  unless  you  lead  him 
to  a  higher  life."  He  turned  as  if  struck,  and 
I  saw  his  heart.  The  thought  was  amplified. 
When  Noah  said  to  his  sons :  "  Come  thou  into 
the  Ark,"  they  followed  him.  He  did  not  tell 
them  to  ^0.^  He  himself  was  there  first!  You 
cannot  push  men  up  into  the  Kingdom  of  God 
from  below,  but,  like  Peter  and  John  and  the 
lame  man  at  the  gate  of  the  Temple,  you  can 
reach  down  and  lift  them  to  their  feet.  I  did 
not  see  him  for  a  week  or  two.  I  was  walking 
through  a  train  to  find  a  seat.  He  rose  and 
asked  me  to  share  his  seat  with  him.  I  knew 
his  face  and  was  not  surprised  to  hear  him 
allude  to  a  recent  sermon  which  he  had  heard. 
I  said,  "  Yes,  I  noticed  you  were  interested  in 
one  sentence."  He  was  surprised  and  said, 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  and  asked  me  to  what 
I  referred.  This  was  my  opportunity,  and  I 
frankly  told  him  that  I  had  noticed  his  entire 
change  of  attitude  when  I  referred  to  a  father's 
influence  over  his  son,  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
sons  of  his  own.  His  face  flushed  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  he  said,  '*  That  was  the  one  sentence 
in  the  sermon  that  interested  me,  and  I  would 


The  Indifferent  Man  i6i 

like  to  talk  it  over  with  you."  A  little  less 
than  an  hour,  and  we  were  in  the  city  of  his 
destination,  but  we  were  friends.  He  trusted 
me  and  I  trusted  him.  That  friendship  rip- 
ened. Within  a  month  he  stood  before  the 
Church  of  God  and  confessed  Jesus  Christ.  His 
life  had  been  careless,  and  sinful,  and  yet  a 
popular  life  among  men.  He  was  a  salesman 
of  large  merit.  His  boys,  his  home,  his  entire 
circle  of  business  friends  and  companions,  were 
influenced  by  his  clean,  strong,  and  loyal  Chris- 
tian life.  A  frank,  clear-cut  fact  had  won 
him. 

Some  men  have  been  most  successful  in 
arousing  intense  interest  with  men  of  large 
worth  by  setting  them  to  work  in  Christian 
activity  before  they  realised  what  they  were 
doing.  Some  years  ago,  in  one  of  our  great 
Eastern  universities,  a  young  man  of  influence 
induced  one  or  two  strong  men  in  the  fresh- 
men class  to  take  hold  of  a  city  mission 
proposition.  It  was  not  called  a  mission ;  they 
were  not  called  missionaries.  They  worked 
with  a  lot  of  street  boys  in  the  neighbourhood, 
led  them  in  gymnasium  classes,  trained  them  on 
the  athletic  field,  showed  them  how  to  play 
baseball  and  football.  They  gradually  inter- 
ested them   in   a   class   of  city   and   national 


1 62  Recruiting  for  Christ 

topics,  bringing  out  and  emphasising  the  real 
meaning  of  citizenship.  The  boys  became  en- 
thusiastic, but  no  more  so  than  their  teachers. 
Before  some  of  those  college  men  graduated 
they  were  officers  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., — one  of 
them  the  president.  Their  influence  during 
their  college  days  was  for  wholesome,  manly, 
Christian  life,  but  they  were  the  last  fellows 
in  the  class  who  would  have  started  in  for  any 
such  activity. 

Many  a  man  at  our  summer  student  confer- 
ences is  won  in  the  same  way.  Some  fraternity 
chum,  some  athletic  mate,  has  prompted  these 
men  to  attend  the  conference.  Their  interest 
is  awakened  by  some  strong  address,  or  the  per- 
sonality of  the  speaker.  They  enter  the  class- 
rooms which  consider  the  practical  matters  of 

Summer  our  city  problems  or  the  broad 
conferences  vision  of  a  world-field  with  a  dif- 
ferent spirit,  and,  before  they  themselves  know 
it,  they  become  leaders  and  find  themselves  as 
the  influencers  of  men.  We  term  them 
"  Finds,"  because  they  were  not  known  be- 
fore, but  they  belong  to  that  great  number 
of  indifferent  fellows,  in  whose  ranks 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  many  of  his  chosen 
leaders. 

The  indifference  of  some  men  is  physical.     A 


The  Indifferent  Man  163 

man  may  be  lazy,  or  immoral,  in  his  life.  In 
either  case,  until  he  is  conscious  of  Physical 
his  own  worthlessness  or  sin,  he  causes 
cannot  become  interested.  The  man  who  be- 
longs to  Lowell's  "  Common  herd  who  only 
sleep  and  feed  "  is  not  worth  the  effort,  unless 
the  Spirit  of  God  changes  him  into  a  different 
character.  This  second  class,  the  man  whose 
life  is  not  pure,  usually  is  dishonest  as  well  in 
his  intellectual  aspect.  He  is  very  liable  to 
place  himself  in  the  class  of  the  doubter,  where 
he  does  not  really  belong,  for  a  dishonest 
doubter  is  not  a  doubter  at  all.  He  has  no 
right  to  any  intellectual  consideration,  for  he 
is  blaming  his  brain  for  that  for  which  his  body 
is  responsible.  The  immoral  and  indulgent  life 
which  he  is  living  is  the  cause  of  his  careless- 
ness and  stupidity,  and  he  is  half -asleep  as  a  re- 
sult of  his  sin.  Neither  his  brain  nor  the 
Church  of  God  is  responsible  for  his  condition, 
but  simply  his  poor,  wretched,  weak,  worth- 
less self.  If  this  man  can  be  led  to  feel 
that  there  is  a  Divine  Power  we  can  reach 
him  and  save  him  from  himself;  but  usually 
it  takes  a  dash  of  cold  water  in  the  face, 
by  means  of  some  sharp,  drastic  measure  of 
reproof  or  justice,  to  even  change  his  ex- 
istence   into    life.     But    there    is    the    other 


164  R«cruitlng  for  Christ 

man  whose  body  is  responsible  for  his  indif- 
ference, but  who  really  desires  better  things, 
and  is  an  honest  struggler  with  an  uneven  foe. 
These  are  the  men  for  whom  we  should  work 
and  with  whom  we  may  gain  results.  I  have 
in  my  pocket  a  letter  received  recently  through 
two  mutual  friends.  It  is  the  story  of  a  poor 
fellow  whom  drink  and  drug  had 
made  a  hopeless,  forlorn  inebriate. 
A  prize  graduate  of  a  Canadian  college,  an 
honour  man  in  medical  school,  with  bright 
prospect  in  the  community  where  he  settled, 
but  one  who  gradually  yielded,  until  he  sunk  to 
the  lowest,  and  wife,  children,  parents,  broth- 
ers, sisters,  and  friends  gave  him  up  as  a  hope- 
less case.  But  he  found  the  Saviour,  and  in 
this  letter  which  I  would  love  to  read  to  you, 
but  which  you  will  see  some  time  in  other 
print,  he  testifies  of  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ, 
found  through  the  faithful  confidence  and  pa- 
tient companionship  and  watchfulness  of  a 
young  minister  who  came  to  his  town. 

We  need  no  greater  testimony  of  the  power 
to  reach  such  men  than  the  recent  book  of  Har- 
Twice-  old  Begbie,  entitled  "  Twice-born 
born  men  Men."  What  that  little  Salvation 
Army  woman  did  for  the  off-scouring  of  Lon- 
don, existing  in  that  wretched  district  of  the 


The  Indifferent  Man  165 

great  city,  tells  us  what  God  can  do  with  those 
whose  lives  have  had  all  vitality  taken  from 
them  by  sin. 

We  have  touched  upon  the  power  through 
putting  men  to  work  for  God.  This  not  only 
applies  to  the  college  man,  the  business  man, 
the  successful  member  of  society,  but  it  also 
may  be  a  vital  force  in  reaching  the  fallen.  A 
poor  morphine  and  liquor  victim  had  again 
fallen  after  many  months  of  victory.  He  was 
not  only  discouraged,  but  morose.  "  What 
is  the  use?"  he  mumbled  to  himself.  "Why 
did  I  ever  try  ?  "  He  was  found  when  drunk, 
or  partially  so,  and  begged  and  plead  for  a 
little  money  that  he  might  be  able  to  lose  all 
self-consciousness.  There  was  no  use  argu- 
ing with  him  or  reproving  him,  but  back  of  all 
his  weakness  there  was  sympathy.  *'  Jim,  do 
you  know  there  is  a  poor  fellow  that  used  to 
work  with  you  in  the  woods,  who  is  up  the  road 
drunk  and  friendless  and  sick.  He  is  an  older 
man  than  you  are,  but  he  needs  a  friend.  I  am 
going  up  to  see  him  to-night  and  try  to  do 
something  for  him."  The  words  were  scarcely 
uttered  when  the  half-drunken  lad  replied,  "  I 
will  go  with  you.  I  will  go  up  and  help  him." 
The  old  craving  came  back,  and  back  again, 
even  as  we  trudged  to  see  his  old  pal,  but  the 


1 66  Recruiting  for  Christ 

inner  motive  conquered,  with  the  help  of  a 
mere  suggestion  which  was  sympathetic.  When 
I  left  him  with  his  old  pal,  who  was  sick,  slowly 
dying,  I  said,  ''  Just  remember,  Jim,  you  can 
ring  me  up  by  this  country  'phone  if  you  need 
me,  and  I  will  get  out  of  bed  and  come  up  here 
if  necessary;  but  I  will  be  here  in  the  morning, 
and  meanwhile  you  are  standing  guard,  and 
remember  I  trust  you."  He  was  nearly  sober 
now  and  penitent,  although  he  did  not  know  it, 
or  admit  it.  Of  course,  his  feelings  were 
freely  expressed.  It  is  not  strange  to  see  the 
big  tears  come  into  a  man's  eyes  in  his  state, 
but  he  meant  it  when  he  said,  ''  You  can  count 
on  me.  I  am  going  to  help  him  through.  I 
Doing  for  won't  call  on  you  unless  he  is  going 
others  to  '  kick  the  bucket.'     I  could  not 

stand  that  alone."  The  poor  old  fellow  died, 
but  that  sympathetic  effort  and  response  saved 
poor  Jim  and  he  has  stuck  it  out  ever  since. 
He  is  doing  the  same  thing  with  other  men 
now.  What  he  needed  was  an  inspiration  to 
do  something  for  somebody  else,  and  that  was 
the  one  inspiration  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
used  to  bring  him  again  to  the  feet  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  penitence.  "  He  is  able  to  save  to 
the  uttermost  them  that  come  unto  God  by 
Him ;"  but  that  verse  means  as  well  that  He  is 


The  Indifferent  Man  167 

to  save  them  completely.  The  Work  of  God 
and  work  for  others  go  hand  in  hand. 

Some  men  are  indifferent  to  the  Church  be- 
cause of  their  loyalty  to  surroundings  and 
present  companionships.  That  environment 
and  those  companions  may  be  slowly  dragging 
a  man  down,  but  he  feels  that  it  would  be  dis- 
loyal or  discourteous  to  separate  himself  from 
them.  He  might  be  called  a  '*  prig "  or  a 
""  hypocrite."  They  might  think  he  considered 
himself  better  than  they.  It  is  not  so  much 
that  that  man  is  indifferent  to  the  Church  as  it 
is  that  he  is  afraid  of  ridicule  or  misunder- 
standing. It  is  wise  to  get  this  man  gradually 
into  different  surroundings,  or  at  least  to  win 
his  confidence  sufficiently  to  talk  to  him  plainly 
as  to  the  foolishness  of  his  position.  Of  what 
real  use  is  he  to  those  men  or  they  to  him? 
What  might  he  be  able  to  do  for  them  if  he 
had  a  genuine  faith  in  God  and  the  strong 
Christian  impulse.  But  if  you  cannot  go  so 
far  with  him  as  this,  gain  for  him  new  friends 
among  those  who  are  strong  in  character  and 
faith,  and  let  the  personality  of  a  new  friend- 
ship overcome  the  lowering  influence  of  the  old 
until  he  is  sensible  enough  to  assert  himself. 

Three  things  in  conclusion  we  would  em- 
phasise.    Study  your  man.     Study  the  Word 


1 68  Recruiting  for  Christ 

of  God,  that  you  may  deal  with  him  aright, 
and  then  work  for  him.  This  means  knowl- 
edge, prayer,  effort,  and  these  three  will  break 
the  walls  of  the  indifferent.  I  would  empha- 
sise especially  the  place  of  the  second — prayer 
— in  dealing  with  these  men.  The  praying 
man,  if  he  is  thoughtful  and  energetic,  is  the 
effective  man. 

Recently  two  young  men  were  mentioned 
as  men  of  character  and  force.  One  of  them 
cared  nothing  for  the  Church.  He  would  not 
attend  the  church,  hence  that  avenue  of  ap- 
proach seemed  closed.  He  could  not  be  ap- 
proached personally.  One  or  two  attempts 
had  failed.  These  men  were  constantly  re- 
membered before  God.  Months  passed  with 
no  apparent  result.  One  morning,  after 
church,  a  man  came  up  and  was  introduced  to 
me,  and  his  name  happened  to  be  that  of  one 
of  the  men  for  whom  I  was  praying.  Asking 
his  full  name,  I  was  inwardly  delighted  to 
know  that  he  was  one  of  my  men.  I  expressed 
my  pleasure  at  meeting  him,  saying  I  had  heard 
of  him.  He  replied  with  equal  cordiality,  and 
stated  that  he  had  been  interested  in  my  ser- 
mons, and  helped  by  them  for  the  past  three 
months.  He  left  me  with  the  remark,  ''  To 
tell  you  the  truth,  I  want  to  get  busy  along 


The  Indifferent  Man  169 

this  Une."  Through  him  the  other  man  was 
reached. 

But,  men,  I  want  to  tell  you  that  this  ex- 
pression strengthened  my  faith  in  prayer  in- 
calculably. Right  here  in  our  midst,  out  of 
the  actual  of  to-day,  now,  God  is  using  indif- 
ferent men  and  winning  indifferent  men  to 
Him,  not  only  by  the  organised  efforts  we  are 
making,  not  only  by  our  individual  study  of 
God's  Word  that  we  may  adapt  the  truth,  but 
in  the  power  of  prayer. 

One  evening  recently,  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Men's  Club  of  a  local  church,  285  young  men 
were  present.  When  General  F.  D.  Grant  be- 
gan to  speak,  instinctively  those  men  drew  their 
chairs  up  nearer  about  him.  The  meeting  was 
intense  in  its  informality.  We  were  thrilled 
by  the  spirit  of  the  evening,  and  the  loyalty  of 
patriotism  of  these  men.  One  among  them 
was  moved  to  say,  ''  Young  men,  we  not  only 
need  what  our  speaker  has  brought  to  us,  and 
that  for  which  he  stands,  and  for  which  his 
honoured  father  stood  in  our  nation,  but  we 
need  a  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ  and  to  His 
standards."  Those  men  rose  up  and  sung  one 
verse  of  *'  My  Country,  'Tis  of  Thee "  for 
General  Grant,  and  followed  with  a  verse  of 
*'  Onward,     Christian     Soldiers,"     for    Jesus 


lyo  Recruiting  for  Christ 

Christ.  Their  faces  and  voices  spoke.  We 
were  thrilled  to  our  very  hearts  as  we  saw  and 
heard  them.  They  sang  with  the  loyal  patri- 
otism of  young  American  manhood  for  our 
country,  but  they  sang  with  equal  enthusiasm 
for  Jesus  Christ. 

There  are  scores  of  men  who  are  ready  to 
sing  "  Onward,  Christian  Soldiers,"  if  we  ap- 
peal to  them  with  a  manly  message  which  comes 
from  our  hearts,  and  which  is  backed  by  con- 
sistent living.  What  the  indifferent  man  wants 
is  inspiration  blended  with  sincerity,  sympathy, 
and  truth,  and  if  we  cannot  give  that  message, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  can  give  it  through  us 
if  we  are  willing  to  be  filled  with  His  Spirit. 


VIII 
DOUBT  AND  DOUBTERS 


"One  single  positive  weighs  more, 
You    know,   than    negatives    a    score." 

— Prior. 

"  Go  to  thy  birth-place,  and  if  faith  was  there, 
Repeat  thy  father's  creed,  thy  mother's  prayer." 

— Holmes. 

"  I  do  not  seek  to  know  in  order  that  I  may  believe, 
but  to  believe  in  order  that  I  may  know." — Augustine. 

"  Doubt  is  the  vestibule  of  faith." — Colton. 

"  Doubt  cramps  energy.  Belief  is  power." — F.  W. 
Robertson. 

"  Intellectually  the  difficulties  of  unbelief  are  as  great 
as  those  of  belief,  while  morally  the  argument  is  wholly 
on  the  side  of  belief." — Dr.  Arnold. 

"Lord,  I  believe;  help  Thou  mine  unbelief." — Mark 
9:  24- 

"They  could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief." — 
Hebrews  3:  19. 

"Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye;  but  not 
to  doubtful  disputations." — Romans  14:  i. 


VIII 
DOUBT  AND  DOUBTERS 

WHY  be  afraid  of  doubt  and  the 
doubter?  Many  of  the  most  loyal 
supporters  of  the  truth  have  come 
from  this  class.  To  doubt  honestly  is  any- 
thing but  a  disgrace,  for  it  shows  not  only 
thought  fulness,  but  the  blending  of  personality 
mind  and  conscience.  The  doubter  °^  ^^i*^ 
becomes  the  believer,  not  when  he  fully  un- 
derstands, but  when  he  trusts  and  loves.  Saul 
of  Tarsus,  the  unbeliever,  became  Paul  the 
Apostle  when  he  knew  Whom  he  believed.  He 
then  could  say,  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation."  The  philosophy  of  faith  is  not 
half  so  important  as  the  personality  of  faith. 
The  why  and  wherefore  of  the  Christian  life 
becomes  secondary  when  we  have  once  learned 
to  know  the  Who  and  learned  to  love  Him 
who  is  the  embodiment  and  incarnation  of  our 
belief.  It  took  a  great  man  like  Augustine 
173 


174  Recruiting  for  Christ 

to  write  that  marvellous  sentence  at  the  close 
of  his  career :  "  I  do  not  seek  to  know  in  order 
that  I  may  believe,  but  to  believe  in  order 
that  I  may  know." 

But  doubt,  after  all,  is  the  expression  of 
weakness  rather  than  strength.  Assurance 
wins  victories  where  doubt  does  not  admit  or 
accept  defeat.  Henry  Clay  Trumbull  has  well 
begun  his  splendid  book  upon  this  subject  with 
this  sentence :  "  A  man  has  more  power 
through  believing  one  thing  than  in  disbeliev- 
ing ten  thousand  things."  He  also  adds :  "  No 
man  is  capable  of  disbelieving  or  doubting  in- 
telligently and  sensibly  unless  he  first  has  strong 
and  positive  belief."  Doubt  is  inherent  in 
many.  It  is  as  natural  for  some  men  to  doubt 
as  it  is  to  breathe.  They  must  be  convinced, 
but  when  convinced,  their  faith  is  enthusiastic. 

Instead  of  fearing  doubt  and  running  from 
it,  we  should  approach  it  prayerfully  and  cour- 

Approach-  ageously.  Instead  of  criticising  it 
ing  doubt  ^^  should  appreciate  the  opening  it 
offers  us  for  conversation  and  enlightenment. 
We  do  not  refer  to  doubt  for  the  sake  of 
doubt,  nor  to  that  self-assertive  bravado  of 
speech  which  is  the  manifestation  of  super- 
ficiality and  egotism.  We  are  dealing  with  the 
subject   in  the  genuine.     Doubt  is  troubling 


Doubt  and  Doubters  175 

many  a  life.  Doubt  will  lift  like  the  fog  when 
the  sunlight  shines  through.  It  will  lift  from 
below  and  rise  until  hidden  points  stand  out 
clearly  in  the  morning  light,  but  that  sun  must 
be  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  that  Light  that 
lighteth  every  one  that  cometh  into  the  world. 
Personified  belief,  incarnate  truth,  must  an- 
swer the  question  of  unbelief.  *'  Lord,  we 
know  not  whither  Thou  goest,  and  how  can  we 
know  the  way?  "  There  was  but  one  answer; 
the  Master  used  it :  "  /  am  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  life.'' 

Again  He  replied  when  misunderstood,  "  Ye 
search  the  scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which 
testify  of  Me,  and  ye  will  not  come  unto  Me 
that  ye  may  have  life."  No  substitution,  even 
of  God's  Word,  could  make  up  for  the  per- 
sonal Christ,  Whom  to  approach  and  know 
was  to  believe.  The  old  fable  of  the  man 
meeting  his  brother  in  the  fog  is  as  true  to 
life  as  it  ever  was,  for  doubt  befogs  the  purest 
and  divinest  truth.  But  when  that  dubious, 
unrecognised  object  approaching  comes  nearer 
and  nearer  until  you  stand  face  to  face,  lo,  he 
is  not  a  prodigy,  but  a  brother  beloved. 

Disregard  and  narrow  criticism  of  doubt 
and  the  doubter  are  neither  fair  nor  sensible. 


176  Recruiting  for  Christ 

It  is  so  easy  to  dismiss  this  class  from  our 
thought  with  an  impatient  or  irritable  criti- 
cism, but  this  is  as  unwise  as  it  is  senseless. 
What  splendid  men  to-day  doubt  from  neces- 
sity rather  than  choice  ?  How  reasonable  they 
are,  and  how  frequently  we  find  them  eager  to 
overcome  this  condition!  Kindly  and  fair 
leadership,  with  patience,  will  clear  their  vision, 
and  win  their  confidence.  The  open  Word  of 
God,  backed  by  a  consistent  character  and  a 
clear  brain,  will  transform  conditions.  Cour- 
teous and  discreet  approach  finds  ready  re- 
sponse. The  Master's  voice  was  filled  with 
love  when  Thomas  could  not  believe,  but  when, 
at  last,  that  voice  was  heard  again,  and  bid 
him  reach  hither  his  finger,  that  loyal  soul  had 
not  only  lost  his  doubt,  but  gained  his  life 
and  inspiration  as  he  replied :  ''  My  Lord,  and 
my  God." 

There  are  two  classes — the  honest  and  the 
dishonest    doubter.     There    is    little    hope    in 

Dishonest  dealing  with  the  doubter  who  is 
doubt  dishonest.     Usually  he  is  seeking 

to  cover  up  his  sin  on  the  basis  of  his  doubt. 
As  we  previously  stated,  the  man  who  is  at- 
tempting to  make  his  poor  brain  bear  the  re- 
sponsibility of  his  indulgent  body,  is  the  man 
who  is  naturally  insincere.     True,  he  may  be 


Doubt  and  Doubters  177 

self-deceived,  but  where  this  sad  condition 
exists,  until  the  Holy  Spirit  leads  him  to  peni- 
tence for  and  confession  of  the  sin  that  lies 
back  of  his  apparent  doubt,  there  is  little  hope. 
There  are  doubters  who,  in  one  sense,  belong 
to  neither  class,  or,  rather,  they  are  a  com- 
bination  of   both.     They  are   not 

,  ,  ,•  ,  ,  1       Exaggeration 

altogether  dishonest  or  altogether 

honest.  They  belong  to  life's  exaggerators. 
They  exaggerate  their  feelings,  their  thoughts, 
their  condition,  and  the  conditions  of  others. 
Exaggeration  is  sin,  but  the  exaggerator 
scarcely  knows  he  sins,  for  he  is  unconscious  of 
his  exaggeration  and  usually  defends  it  or  re- 
sents reproof.  The  superficial  doubter  fre- 
quently belongs  to  this  class.  To  help  him  is 
to  hold  him  down  to  facts,  but  in  a  wise  way 
and  with  a  kindly  spirit.  He  gradually  will 
realise  that  he  is  not  a  doubter  after  all, — ^at 
least,  that  many  things  which  he  has  supposed 
were  perplexing,  are  clear.  It  is  not  best  to  get 
into  a  controversy  with  him  unless  upon  a  mat- 
ter of  principle.  There  are  times  when  we 
must  talk  plainly,  but  when  such  a  course  is 
necessary  it  should  always  be  with  the  in- 
dividual alone.  Never  talk  personally  with  a 
man,  or,  at  least,  touch  upon  personal  char- 
acteristics or  problems,  in  the  presence  of  an- 


178  Recruiting  for  Christ 

other.  Wait  for  a  more  opportune  time.  Let 
such  conversation  not  only  be  plain,  but  direct 
and  fearless,  but  never  in  a  belligerent  or 
critical  spirit.  You  may  win  a  dishonest 
doubter  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  if  he  is  dis- 
honest through  error,  and  not  through  motive. 
Don't  let  him  fool  you  or  think  that  he  fools 
you.  If  his  doubt  is  superficial,  show  him  his 
limited  vision  by  giving  him  a  broader  view. 
In  other  words,  lead  him  to  the  heights,  that 
his  own  eyes  may  gain  the  expanding  view 
without  suggestion.  Show  him  himself.  God's 
truth  is  a  mirror;  hold  that  mirror  before  him. 
A  mirror  does  not  reflect  other  than  the  scene 
which  is  before  it. 

We  are  sometimes  deceived  in  men.  Those 
whom  we  think  are  honest  are  dishonest,  and 
the  reverse  is  true.  I  have  believed  in  men  im- 
plicitly, and  been  blessed  as  they  have  joined 
me  in  audible,  quiet  prayer,  only  to  discover 
later  it  was  all  a  means  to  an  end. 

The  dishonest  doubter,  after  all,  is  sec- 
ondary. Until  God  changes  his  heart  we  can- 
not help  him.  Our  main  work  is  with  the  man 
of  honest  convictions,  or  lack  of  them. 

First  let  us  study  our  man,  find  out  his  point 
of  view,  get  him  to  talking.  Learn  his  story, 
put  yourself  in  his  place.     You  know  the  old 


Doubt  and  Doubters  179 

controversy — one  man  said  the  fence  was  black, 
and  his  companion  affirmed  it  was  Honest 

white.  They  almost  came  to  doubt 
blows,  but  the  real  facts  were  that  both 
were  right, — one  side  of  the  fence  was 
white-washed,  the  other  was  weatherbeaten 
and  black.  They  had  viewed  it  from  differ- 
ent sides,  and  both  were  correct.  Quiet  in- 
vestigation would  have  cleared  the  whole  mat- 
ter, or,  if  either  had  waited  to  learn  where 
the  other  stood  there  would  have  been  no 
trouble.  Let  us  find  out  where  the  other  man 
stands,  and,  if  necessary,  let  us  take  time  to 
go  with  him  to  his  point  of  vision.  Too  many 
times  we  argue  from  the  traditions  of  life 
with  which  we  are  familiar,  and  forget  that 
there  are  other  traditions.  The  Eton  youth  is 
foolish  to  discuss  a  school  tradition  with  a 
youth  from  Rugby.  True  enough,  they  are 
both  lads  of  England,  but  the  great  schools 
of  England  have  their  various  traditions  and 
customs.  You  cannot  convince  a  Yale  man 
that  crimson  is  a  better  color  than  blue,  but 
you  can  convince  a  Yale  man  that  a  Harvard 
man  would  not  be  a  Harvard  man  unless  he 
preferred  crimson.  The  day  has  passed  when 
a  Baptist  ridicules  a  Congregationalist  because 
he  does  not  believe  in  Immersion.     But  the  day 


i8o  Recruiting  for  Christ 

has  also  passed  when  the  Congregationahst 
does  not  concede  that  the  Baptist  has  a  right  to 
his  view  and  to  his  interpretation.  Helpful 
discussion  accepts  differing  premises,  but  it  dis- 
tinguishes between  essentials  and  non-essen- 
tials. We  ought,  then,  to  discover  where  a 
man's  difficulty  lies — what  does  he  doubt?  In- 
terpretations as  well  as  standards  have  changed. 
Questions  have  arisen  which  were  not  ques- 
tions a  generation  ago.  Not  only  cause  and 
effect,  but  sources  and  authorities,  are  chal- 
lenged. This  is  not  only  true  as  to  theology, 
but  we  have  to  face  it  as  to  the  very  Word  of 
God. 

How  are  we  to  deal  with  the  men  who  do 
not  accept  the  authority  of  Scripture?  Those 
who  are  not  loyal  to  the  doctrines  and  dogmas 
of  the  past?  What  is  the  first  thing  to  do? 
Doctrinal  or  theological  discussion,  after  all, 
is  not  a  very  popular  difficulty,  but  the  ques- 
tion as  to  the  authority  of  God's  Word  is. 
How  are  we  to  deal  with  it?  A  man  opens  a 
discussion  as  to  the  authenticity  and  authority 
of  the  Bible.  How  are  you  to  answer  him 
back?  Do  not  answer  him,  but  be  familiar 
enough  with  God's  Word  to  turn  to  the  very 
passage  and  let  the  Word  of  God  answer  for 
itself.     Frequently  the  discussion  will  take  an 


Doubt  and  Doubters  i8i 

entirely  different  form,  and  accuracy  will  take 
the  place  of  inaccuracy,  and  this  very  enlight- 
enment as  to  what  the  Bible  really  says  will 
clear  the  whole  question.  To  cite  a  personal 
illustration :  In  a  former  parish,  an  old  college 
acquaintance,  contrary  to  his  usual  custom,  at- 
tended the  Sunday  night  service.  He  seemed 
interested,  and  was  extremely  attentive.  As 
he  was  a  man  of  force  and  influence,  I  sought 
an  interview.  He  was  an  honest  unbeliever. 
Upon  asking  him  what  he  thought  of  the 
service,  he  replied  with  a  smile,  "  The  service 
was  all  right,  but  what  you  said  was  all  non- 
sense from  my  point  of  view."  Well,  we  both 
smiled.  I  replied  that  I  expected  him  to  say 
just  about  that  same  thing.  We  were  not 
fencing,  but  sincere,  and  both  of  us  believed 
in  one  another.  My  answer  surprised  him: 
"  That  is  exactly  what  the  Bible  says  a  man 
in  your  position  is  going  to  think,"  I  said. 
Then,  when  he  asked  me  to  explain,  I  turned 
to  the  first  chapter  of  First  Corinthians,  and, 
placing  upon  his  desk  the  very  verses,  read  to 
him  as  he  followed :  ''  Preaching  of  the  Cross 
is  foolishness  unto  them  that  are  perishing, 
but  unto  them  that  are  saved  it  is  the  power  of 
God."  He  knew  that  I  was  not  seeking  to 
classify  him,  but  simply  to  show  that  his  criti- 


1 82  Recruiting  for  Christ 

cism  was  not  unexpected.  From  this  our  con- 
versation extended  and  was  continued  later. 
It  resuUed  in  his  beginning  to  study  the  Bible. 
He  had  been  a  student  of  literature,  but,  aside 
from  a  few  truths  of  the  Bible  and  stories  of 
the  Old  Testament,  learned  in  childhood,  the 
Bible  had  been  a  closed  book  for  twenty  years. 
He  was  a  student  not  only  in  his  profession, 
but  of  literature.  The  study  of  God's  Word 
brought  him  into  a  clear  definition  of  faith, 
which  was  sufficient  to  change  his  attitude  to 
life  and  identify  him  with  the  Christian  Church 
and  Christian  activity.  He  could  have  an- 
nihilated any  argument  I  could  have  brought 
to  him,  but  the  Scripture  accomplished  what 
it  accomplished  with  Philip,  for  "  beginning 
at  that  scripture  he  preached  unto  him  Jesus." 
Another  instance  relates  to  the  13th  chap- 
ter of  First  Corinthians.  A  friend,  who  was 
also  a  student,  spoke  lightly  of  mankind  in 
general  and  of  the  typical  wickedness  repre- 
sented in  many  of  the  godly  characters  of  the 
Old  Testament.  Asking  him  if  he  was  willing 
to  read  a  chapter  in  the  New,  we  read  that 
wonderful  chapter  on  "  Love."  "  Love  suffer- 
eth  long  and  is  kind,  love  envieth  not,  love 
vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is 


Doubt  and  Doubters  183 

not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil,  rejoiceth 
not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth;  bear- 
eth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all 
things,  endureth  all  things;  love  never  fail- 
eth."  How  about  this  chapter  and  the  in- 
adequacy of  Scripture  to  help  us  believe  in  man- 
kind? There  was  no  need  for  an  argument. 
He  grasped  my  hand  and  added :  "  That  is  the 
most  worth  while  thing  I  have  read  for  years." 

But  there  are  men  who  cannot  be  approached 
or  influenced  by  this  means.  We  must  first, 
then,  find  out  what  they  do  believe.  Commit 
them  to  something  in  the  way  of  belief.  With 
such  men  it  is  not  unwise  to  talk  on  the  other 
side  for  a  time.  A  man  will  frequently  de- 
fend that  which  he  has  criticised  if  he  is  suf- 
ficiently off  his  guard  to  be  perfectly  frank 
and  to  be  loyal  to  his  real  self.  If  you  know 
your  man,  it  is  just  as  well  to  start  just  where 
he  would  start  naturally,  and  take  his  side  of 
the  argument.  He  might  take  yours,  for  every 
thoughtful  man  has  a  natural  disposition  to 
argue,  and  arguing  means  opposite  view.  This 
very  action  on  his  part  without  comment  of 
yours  may  result  in  a  changed  view.  A  great 
many  men  belong  to  this  very  class.  We  have 
belonged  to  it  in  earlier  days  ourselves. 

Again  we  come  into  contact  with  a  great 


184  Recruiting  for  Christ 

many  who  are  influenced  by  much  of  the  super- 
ficial BibHcal  criticism  of  to-day.  Usually 
when  you  find  a  man  who  says  the  Bible  is  full 
of  discrepancies  it  is  well  to  get  the  best  book 
on  the  subject  you  can  find,  and  read  it  or 
send  him  a  copy.  It  is  not  best  simply  to  rely 
upon  a  proof-text,  but  answer  the  man's  specific 
difficulty.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  matter 
will  be  easily  cleared  up.  Where  it  is  not,  the 
man  has  at  least  grown  to  respect  your  care- 
ful interest  in  his  problem.  Frequently  his 
difficulty  is  the  result  of  second-hand  thought, 
— the  editorial  which  he  read,  the  chapter 
which  confused  him,  the  sentence  which  mis- 
led, is  another  man's  interpretation,  and  he 
himself  has  not  thought  the  matter  through, 
nor  given  much  attention ;  but,  like  a  comet,  it 
attracted  far  more  attention  than  the  fixed 
stars  or  planets.  It  is  well  to  put  into  the 
hands  of  such  men  some  of  the  splendid  books 
of  constructive  Biblical  criticism,  the  books 
which  command  confidence,  elevate  the  in- 
tellect, and  honour  highest  scholarship.  Many 
such  books  are  popularly  written  to-day.  But, 
better  still,  is  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
Word  of  God,  to  give  spiritual  nourishment  by 
means  of  first-hand  food  instead  of  that  which 
is  pre-digested. 


Doubt  and  Doubters  185 

Another  smaller  class  of  doubters  may  be 
represented  by  those  who  are  studying  the  dif- 
ficulties of  the  Bible  and  reading" 
^1        u      •  .   1  r     ^r  ,,        1  Literalism 

the       mistakes    of    Moses,      who 

have  begun  to  feel  that  everything  in  history 
and  prophecy  is  symbolic  and  metaphorical. 
They  have  lost  all  devotion  to  literalism. 
What  are  we  going  to  do  with  the  non-literal- 
ist?  We  certainly  do  not  want  to  antagonise 
and  lose  him  at  once  by  affirming  that  his  posi- 
tion is  dangerous,  misleading,  and  inaccurate. 
We  surely  have  very  much  in  which  to  agree 
if  he  is  willing  to  study  and  read  for  himself. 
The  great  principles  underlying  the  historical 
and  prophetical  books  are  common  principles. 
The  life  of  Jonah  is  certainly  a  revelation  of  a 
man's  duty  to  obey  God  without  hesitation 
and  excuse.  We  have  an  opportunity  to  talk 
to  this  man  as  to  these  great  characters  of 
God's  Word,  because  he  is  studying  them. 
Omit  some  of  the  answers  you  would  like  to 
make  to  his  alleged  discrepancies  and  supposed 
errors.  Get  inside  the  outer  shell  of  the  thing. 
The  rarest  crystals  are  the  stalactites  and  stal- 
agmites of  life.  But  these  are  found  inside 
the  cave,  and  the  entrance  to  that  cave  means  a 
journey,  and  the  mysteries  of  darkness  are  the 
mysteries  of  the  windings  of  the  cavern;  but 


1 86  Recruiting  for  Christ 

they  are  worth  the  venture,  and  will  call  forth 
the  admiration  of  the  one  who  has  followed 
you  into  this  hidden  recess. 

One  night  a  medical  student  sat  down  in 
the  study.  He  had  been  reading  somebody's 
volume  on  the  "  Mistakes  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Narratives  "  as  to  a  splendid  old  char- 
acter. After  talking  a  few  moments  we  turned 
to  our  open  Bibles  with  the  question,  "  Let  us 
get  down  to  the  real  mission  of  this  book  and 
its  life."  Why  did  God  put  this  in  here  ?  Why 
did  he  select  this  man?  The  other  men  of 
his  time  are  almost  unnoticed.  God  called 
him  to  do  hard  things.  To  face  enemies  right 
and  left.  He  was  not  a  coward,  he  was  a 
hero,  but  he  was  human,  and  at  times  wicked, 
but  he  had  a  work  and  a  message. 

He  performed  that  work,  he  delivered  that 
message.  He  inspired  his  family  and  his  na- 
tion to  righteous  living.  We  gained  a  vision 
of  that  man's  life  and  soul  that  night,  and  the 
criticisms  and  discrepancies  were  scattered  to 
the  four  winds.  When  he  went  out  there  was 
not  a  word.  In  fact,  he  had  really  forgotten 
the  discussion  which  brought  us  together,  and 
he  became  one  of  the  strongest  Sunday-school 
teachers  in  the  city  where  he  lives,  a  faithful 
student  and  expounder  of  the  Scriptures. 


Doubt  and  Doubters  187 

We  may  believe  the  Bible  from  cover  to 
cover,  but  let  us  be  able  to  work  with  the  men 
and  guide  the  men  who  have  not  our  belief  or 
interpretation.  The  trouble  is,  when  a  man 
gets  to  studying  what  he  does  not  believe  in 
the  Bible  he  is  tempted  to  read  every  book 
man  has  manufactured,  instead  of  reading  the 
Bible  itself! 

Some  of  us  have  to  deal  occasionally  with 
an  entirely  different  class  of  doubters — those 
who  have  no  faith  in  their  own  day.  xhe  sancti- 
Men  who  do  not  believe  in  their  °^o^i°^s 
own  time  and  day.  They  doubt  the  hand  of 
Providence  in  it  all.  They  point  to  the  white 
slave  traffic  and  the  saloon  power  and  say, 
"What's  the  use?"  "God  in  His  world? 
No !  God  working  to-day  ?  No !  "  This  man 
is  a  dangerous  doubter,  and  he  sometimes  lives 
under  the  very  shadow  of  the  Church,  and  is 
even  termed  a  "  pious  "  man  by  some  who 
know  him.  His  pessimism  assumes  a  sort  of  a 
holy  tone,  and  he  uses  a  prophetic  holy  voice. 
He,  too,  needs  the  Word  of  God  as  well  as  a 
physician's  prescription.  You  and  I  cannot 
prescribe,  but  we  can,  with  cheerful,  sympa- 
thetic tact,  open  the  Bible  with  him  and  help 
him.  We  can  open  the  Word  of  God  just 
where  He  would  have  us,  and  find  Jesus  Christ 


1 88  Recruiting  for  Christ 

weeping  over  Jerusalem,  and  from  that  scene 
we  can  lead  to  another  in  which  the  Master 
took  the  time  to  deal  with  and  pray  for  in- 
dividuals. This  Man  of  Sorrows  was  a  man 
who  dined  with  Zaccheus,  who  sat  down  with 
the  godless,  who  talked  with  the  harlots,  who 
did  not  allow  the  awful  contagion  of  sin  and 
the  discouraging  license  of  a  wicked  govern- 
ment to  disqualify  Him  for  personal  service. 
This  Saviour  found  a  joy  in  seeking  the  lost 
and  in  saving  them.  Before  we  leave  these 
very  doubters  we  can  pray  with  them,  and  we 
will  invariably  find  that  the  bended  knee  is 
the  great  disarmer  of  doubt,  and  we  will  rise 
to  united  service  to  the  Common  Lord. 

But  the  great  contest  of  the  Church,  after 
all,  has  been  upon  the  question  of  the  super- 
natural. This  is  uppermost  in  the  minds  of 
vast  multitudes  to-day.  The  question  varies. 
A  few  years  ago  it  was  the  Resurrection,  then 
the  Miracles,  then  the  Immaculate  Conception, 
now  it  seems  to  be  the  Miracles  again,  and  all 
the  time  it  is  an  endless  wheel — the  human 
mind  combating  the  supernatural,  whether  in 
Scripture  or  in  life.  But  what  would  life  be 
without  the  supernatural  ?  We  see  it  all  about 
us.  The  realities  of  scientific  discovery  would 
have  met  with  almost  hysterical  ridicule  a  few 


Doubt  and  Doubters  189 

years  ago.  Ships  that  pass  in  the  night  miles 
away  bearing  messages  one  to  another  with- 
out words  or  sound!  Transportation  entirely 
changed  on  our  avenues  and  streets  by  the 
mere  rapid  explosions  of  gasoline!  Airships 
following  their  own  courses  and  working  on 
schedule!  Then  touch  the  realm  of  disease 
and  its  cure.  The  operation  which  fifty  years 
ago  was  a  miracle  is  to-day  almost  common- 
place. Certain  fatal  diseases  are  no  longer 
considered  such  if  properly  diagnosed  and 
treated.  Far  greater  the  meaning  of  the  su- 
pernatural in  the  spiritual  realm.  Read  the 
fourth  chapter  of  the  First  Book  of  Corin- 
thians, where  Paul  says,  *'  We  are  the  stewards 
of  the  mysteries  of  God."  The  Christian 
ceases  to  be  a  Christian  when  he  simply  be- 
lieves what  he  can  understand,  and  passes  that 
on  to  others.  He  is  ''  a  steward  of  mystery." 
Faith  is  not  a  matter  of  sight,  but  of  the  un- 
seen. Quote  the  first  verse  of  the  nth  chap- 
ter of  Hebrews,  as  we  read  it  in  the  Revision : 
"  Now  faith  is  the  assurance  of  things  hoped 
for,  the  conviction  of  things  not  seen."  If  a 
man  doubts  the  supernatural,  do  not  argue  with 
him,  but  read  the  nth  chapter  of  Hebrews 
through  with  him,  and  take  the  time  to  do  it. 
Of  course,  the  belief  in  the  supernatural  is  pri- 


190  Recruiting  for  Christ 

mary.  Augustine  made  it  such.  He  did  not 
believe,  but  his  mother  did.  All  through  those 
years  she  followed  him  from  city  to  city,  even 
when  she  knew  he  was  living  a  wrong  life.  The 
preaching  of  a  great  soul  who  believed  in  the 
supernatural  aroused  his  intellect  and  touched 
his  conscience.  A  great  doubter  in  that  which 
he  could  not  understand  became  the  author  of 
a  great  book  like  ''  The  Confessions,"  and 
scores  of  other  volumes.  He  became  a  steward 
of  the  mysteries  of  God.  The  great  doubters 
of  this  world  have  become  the  great  champions 
for  Jesus  Christ.  Let  us  bring  the  men  who 
doubt  to  the  Cross.  Let  us  neither  antagonise 
nor  argue,  but  work  out  the  problem  as  we  sit 
together  at  His  feet.  Let  us  use  patience  (see 
I  Thess.  1 13),  wisdom  (James  1 15),  sympathy 
(Hebrews  12:1-3),  ^^^^  more  than  all,  let  us 
pray  with  and  for  them.  Pray  in  the  power 
of  that  mighty  prayer  of  Paul's  (Ephesians 
3:14-21),  "  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knee  to 
the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  .  .  ." 
And  in  the  power  of  those  words  he  wrote  to 
the  Philippian  Church  (Philippians  4:6),  *' In 
nothing  be  anxious;  but  in  everything  by  prayer 
and  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God."  And  let  us  crown  our 
faith  with  the  13th  verse  of  that  same  chapter, 


Doubt  and  Doubters  191 

"  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  me,"  knowing  that  "  God  will 
supply  all  our  need  according  to  His  riches  in 
glory  "  (verse  19). 

And  the  doubter  will  be  won.  This  power 
of  spiritual  victory  is  born  of  a  living  faith, 
and  we  can  win  men  who  disbelieve  because  we 
believe,  because  we  believe  God  believes  in 
them,  and  because  we,  too,  believe  in  them. 


IX 
REGAINING  MEN 


"What's  gone  and  what's  past  help  should  be  past 
grief." — Shakespeare. 

"This  is  the  place,  stand  still,  my  steed, 
Let  me  review  the  scene. 
And  summon  from  the  shadowy  past 
The  forms  that  once  have  been." 

— Longfellow. 

"  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  which 
are  spiritual,  restore  such  an  one." — Galatians  6:  i. 

*'  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother." — Exodus  20: 12. 

"  Down  in  the  human  heart,  crushed  by  the  tempter, 
Feelings  lie  buried  that  grace  can  restore; 
Touched  by  a  loving  heart,  wakened  by  kindness, 
Chords  that  were  broken  will  vibrate  once  more." 

—Bishop  Doane. 


IX 

REGAINING  MEN 

WE  now  take  up  the  important  subject 
of  reaching  the  men  who  are  already 
Christ's,  but  are  inactive  or  unrecog- 
nised.    We    aim   to    reach    the    unconverted. 
Stop   a   moment   and    consider   the    immense 

amount  of  waste  material  that  there    _      , , 

Keacnlng 

is  in  the  Church  of  God.  Import-  those  already 
ant  biisiness  interests  have  devel- 
oped out  of  saving  the  waste!  Utilising  the 
useless.  The  very  word  "  by-product "  has 
become  an  important  word  to-day.  There 
are  thousands  of  men  who  have  become  suc- 
cessful because  they  have  appreciated  the  value 
of  by-products.  That  verse  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, ''  Lest  I  myself  become  a  castaway,"  does 
not  refer  to  a  lost  soul!  But  the  castaway  in 
the  sense  of  useless!  To  illustrate:  This  is  a 
jack-knife:  suppose  it  is  lost  and  left  out  in 
the  rain  for  two  years!  You  could  take  the 
rusted  blade  and  snap  it  with  a  finger,  but  you 
195 


196  Recruiting  for  Christ 

could  not  turn  it  back  into  iron  ore !  It  is  still 
a  jack-knife,  but  it  is  useless.  It  is  a  castaway. 
Many  a  Christian  that  has  become  a  castaway 
still  belongs  to  Christ.  Many  of  those  who 
are  castaways  and  useless  have  become  so  be- 
cause they  have  not  been  active  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  They  have  at  one  time  taken  a 
stand  in  His  Church,  but  they  have  fallen  out. 
Now  we  will  not  attempt  the  means,  the 
method,  the  philosophy,  the  psychology  of  this 
condition,  but  we  will  consider  the  practical  side 
of  the  remedy. 

These  men  are,  or,  rather,  may  be  a  great 
influence  for  Christ  if  reclaimed.  These  very 
men  we  usually  do  not  consider  when  we  talk 
of  the  men  to  be  won  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Suppose  a  man  is  apparently  lost,  so  far  as 
service  is  concerned.  Why  give  him  up? 
Why  not  work  for  him?  He  certainly  has 
much  in  his  life  that  will  respond  quickly  if 
Jesus  Christ  is  genuinely  presented.  That 
man  has  a  sympathetic  response  in  his  life, — 
there  is  a  chord  there  that  will  vibrate  if 
touched  by  Christ.  We  must  realise  that  these 
men  must  be  reclaimed. 

They  are  everywhere.  They  are  in  every 
part  of  the  city  by  the  thousand.  You  can 
go  through  any  street  of  the  city  where  people 


Regaining  Men  197 

live  and  find  case  after  case  where  unplaced 
church  letters  lie  in  drawers  or  desks,  letters 
never  placed  in  a  local  church. 

There  are  thousands  of  others  who  have 
never  sent  for  their  letters,  many  of  whose 
names     are     upon     some     distant  church 

church  roll,  their  present  addresses  letters 
probably  unknown.  Those  people  need  to  be 
found,  and  encouraged  into  active  church 
service.  Tens  of  thousands  of  such  members 
drift  into  oblivion  every  year.  They  are  the 
waste  forces  for  Christ  outside  the  Church. 
Many  of  them  are  earnest  Christians,  who  feel 
the  loss  of  spiritual  fellowship. 

In  a  single  week  one  of  our  pastors  came  in 
contact  with  three  different  families  whose  let- 
ters were  not  placed  in  any  church, 

111.1  -  .  ,,     Old  workers 

and  had  not  been  for  years.     All 

happened    to    be    prominent    leaders    in    the 

churches    from    which    they    came.     One    a 

former    Sunday-school    superintendent    in    a 

school  of  over  four  hundred.     For  two  years 

he  had  not  been  inside  of  a  Sunday  school  in 

Chicago,  and  had  only  attended  church  six  or 

seven  times.     All  he  awaited  was  a  knowledge 

of     need     and     a     cordial     invitation.     This 

brought  him  to  a  realisation  that  he  was  not 

doing  his  duty.     A  second  was  a  teacher  of 


198  Recruiting  for  Christ 

thirteen  girls,  and  eleven  of  those  thirteen  girls 
had  confessed  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  under  her 
leadership.  Still,  for  months  she  had  been 
without  a  church  home.  The  third  had  been 
a  substitute  teacher  in  her  church  at  home. 
One  of  them  said :  ''  Do  not  tell  people  I  have 
been  active,  for  I  am  ashamed  that  I  have  not 
been  more  alive  here."  Now,  some  of  these 
very  people  have  been  leaders,  but  have  gotten 
into  new  conditions,  strange  surroundings,  in  a 
city  with  far  larger  problems  than  they  had 
ever  known,  and  before  they  knew  it  they 
had  drifted  away  or  lost  touch  with  active 
work. 

Then  many  are  circumstanced  this  way: 
Here  is  a  girl  who  was  married  and  immedi- 

The  young  ately  came  to  the  city.  Her  hus- 
famiiy  band  was  of  another  denomination, 

and  they  did  not  agree  or  settle  upon  a  church 
home.  They  wander  from  church  to  church, 
and,  after  four  or  five  months  of  this,  they  be- 
come what  we  call  "  sermon  tasters,"  or,  more 
probably,  ''  music  tasters."  After  going  along 
a  time  in  this  way,  they  naturally  become  in- 
different. Then,  perhaps,  God  sends  His  best 
gift  into  that  little  home,  and  the  mother  does 
not  want  her  husband  to  be  away  in  the  even- 
ing.    Perhaps  they  do  not  get  up  early  enough 


Regaining  Men  199 

on  Sunday  morning.  They  do  not  go  to 
church,  they  have  gotten  out  of  the  habit. 

There  is  never  a  time  in  a  man  or  woman's 
life  when  there  is  a  chance  to  mould  the  home 
for  God  as  when  that  house  is  changed  into 
a  home  by  the  coming  of  a  little  child.  The 
father,  if  he  is  approached  the  right  way,  will 
respond,  and  that  home  may  become  a  home 
of  God.  That  is  why  the  Cradle  Roll  is  doing 
such  a  work  in  our  Sunday  schools.  Other 
children  come  into  the  home  and  cares  multi- 
ply. Then  the  time  comes  when  they  begin  to 
think.  When  the  children  ask :  "  Father, 
mother,  why  don't  you  go  to  church?  Kath- 
erine  goes  to  Sunday  school ;  Donald's  minister 
came  to  see  his  mother  the  other  day.  I  do 
not  see  why  some  minister  does  not  call  on  us. 
I  do  not  see  why  we  do  not  go  to  church." 

There  is  another  class.  A  number  of  good 
people  have  lost  sympathy  with  the  church. 
What  is  the  trouble  ?     Often  some  past 

trivial  experience.  They  went  into  prejudice 
a  church  in  a  new  locality,  and  when  shown  to 
a  pew  the  people  who  rented  the  pew  came  in 
unexpectedly,  and  were  neither  cordial  in  look 
nor  word.  That  was  enough.  They  felt  un- 
comfortable throughout  the  service,  and  were 
not  helped.     In  fact,  listened  to  little  in  sermon 


200  Recruiting  for  Christ 

or  Scripture.  ''  I  will  never  darken  the  doors 
of  the  church  again,"  was  his  remark,  and  his 
action.  Well,  that  is  a  most  foolish,  careless, 
superficial,  and  un-Christlike  thing  to  say,  but 
he  was  hurt,  and  he  was  not  big  enough  to  over- 
look the  other  man's  littleness.  After  one  has 
spoken  this  way,  he  seems  to  think  it  cowardly 
or  disloyal  to  forget  it  or  change  his  mind. 
But  the  sad  part  of  it  all  is  that  their  children 
are  growing  up  without  God,  and  all  because 
their  parents  became  indifferent  through  this 
incident. 

Some  of  these  very  people  can  be  reached 
easily  if  their  confidence  is  patiently  won.  A 
little  attention  and  sympathy  will  overcome 
the  prejudice  of  years.  They  won't  tell  you  at 
first  why  they  do  not  attend  church,  but  after 
a  while  you  awaken  within  them  the  latent 
longing,  and  when  you  invite  them  into  your 
pew,  and  perhaps  even  call  for  them  Sunday 
morning,  they  come  back,  and  you  not  only 
save  them  and  their  children,  but  their  chil- 
dren's children  after  them. 

Others  have  received  unfair  treatment  from 
members  of  the  church.     Here  is  a  man  who 

Thought-  k^pt  ^  small  corner  grocery  store, 
lessness  ^nd  had  to  make  a  living  through 

very  small  amounts.     He  only  made  one-fifth 


Regaining  Men  201 

of  a  cent  a  pound  on  some  staple  goods,  and 
had  to  sell  a  great  deal  to  clear  anything.  He 
had  children  to  put  through  school,  and  he 
tried  to  do  it  honestly.  Some  one, — an  of- 
ficer in  the  church,  possibly,  kept  him  waiting 
two  months  for  his  money,  and  was  appar- 
ently angry  when  he  sent  his  bill. 

Another  is  a  poor  dressmaker,  and  some 
woman  in  the  church  who  owed  her  a  bill  left 
on  her  summer  outing  without  paying  for  the 
dresses  she  had  worked  late  into  the  evening 
to  finish.  She  had  worked  faithfully.  Her 
friend  had  come  to  her  and  said  to  her :  "  You 
must  get  that  dress  done  in  time,"  and  she  had 
done  her  best.  But  the  weeks  went  by,  and 
the  bill  had  not  been  paid,  and,  needing  the 
money,  she  walked  over  to  see  her  about  it, 
only  to  find  the  house,  that  splendid,  great 
house,  closed,  the  door  and  windows  boarded. 
That  meant  ''  no  vacation  "  for  her.  And  she 
is  forced  back  to  her  long  summer  of  sewing. 
Is  it  strange  she  says  to  herself :  "  Yes,  she's 
a  member  of  the  Missionary  Society!  I  do 
not  think  I'll  go  there  to  church." 

Sometimes  those  who  have  the  most  money 
are  not  the  most  thoughtful  of  those  who  have 
the  least,  and  are  the  most  faithful.  There 
are  people  all  through  the  very  communities  in 


202  Recruiting  for  Christ 

which  all  of  us  live  who  have  suffered  just  such 
experiences,  and  they  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  have  been  kept  from  confessing 
Him  by  thoughtless  inconsistency  in  others' 
lives.  It  is  our  business  to  win  them  back 
into  the  churchy  and  to  their  own  proper  place 
there. 

And  then  that  other  woman,  the  one  who 
v^as  thoughtless  and  went  away  forgetting  the 
one  whose  bill  was  not  paid,  she  no  doubt  would 
weep  to-day  if  she  knew  the  circumstances. 

I  once  gave  such  an  illustration  from  actual 
life  in  a  sermon,  and  noticed  that  a  woman  in 
the  back  of  the  church  whom  I  did  not  know 
was  very  much  affected. 

A  strange  coincidence  followed.  A  humble 
member  of  the  church  within  a  few  weeks 
showed  me  a  letter  from  a  total  stranger.  The 
woman  that  wrote  the  letter  never  dreamed 
that  it  would  come  to  my  eyes.  I  read :  *'  Our 
pastor  last  Sunday  morning  said  something 
that  opened  my  eyes  to  a  condition  I  had  never 
known.  I  have  always  paid  my  bills  at  the 
dry-goods  stores  every  six  months.  It  is  cus- 
tomary. They  only  send  bills  then.  I  never 
thought  of  paying  them  any  other  way.  I 
never  dreamed  that  every  one  did  not  have  the 
same  credit,  that  my  poor  dressmaker  did  not 


Regaining  Men  203 

have  a  chance,"  and  then  she  went  on  to  say: 
''  I  am  enclosing  a  small  gift  with  this  check, 
and  I  hope  it  will  add  some  comfort  and  joy  to 
you  this  summer,  and  if  my  carelessness  has 
ever  robbed  you  of  rest  or  change  in  your  life, 
it  will  tell  you  my  regret  and  give  me  now  the 
pleasure  of  sharing  in  some  coming  joy."  I 
saw  that  letter.  There  are  a  lot  of  people 
whom  you  and  I  condemn  in  wholesale  fashion 
who  only  are  thoughtless. 

Again  there  are  those  who  have  suffered  the 
great  mysteries  of  sorrow,  not  being  able  to  un- 
stand  them.  They  have  never  had  The 
a  sympathetic  heart  help  them  out  sorrow 
of  their  distress.  Men,  this  class  seems  to  in- 
crease more  and  more.  In  a  village  toward  the 
South  land  there  was  an  aged  Episcopal  rector. 
They  told  me  that  there  was  not  a  man  in  the 
whole  county  who  had  the  influence  he  had. 
The  Roman  Catholics  would  stop  and  bow  to 
him  on  the  street,  and  say  "  Good-morning, 
Father."  The  Protestants  universally  looked 
to  him  as  the  very  Bishop  of  the  whole  com- 
munity, and  every  other  minister  loved  him. 
"How  do  you  account  for  it?"  the  stranger 
asked,  only  to  learn  his  story.  His  wife  and 
five  children,  within  eighteen  months,  one  after 
another,  the  Lord  had  taken  away.     Through 


204  Recruiting  for  Christ 

it  all,  every  Sunday,  he  was  in  his  place.  His 
prayer,  his  sermon,  revealed  a  great  heart  sus- 
tained by  God.  There  was  not  a  man,  woman, 
or  child  in  sorrow  or  distress,  if  he  knew  it,  to 
whom  he  did  not  quietly  find  his  way.  He 
would  go  into  that  home,  where  a  father  was 
suffering,  where  a  mother  was  dying,  where  a 
brother  or  sister  longed  for  sympathy,  and 
with  a  single  word  or  look  he  would  comfort 
and  help.  Everybody  loved  him,  for,  some- 
how, they  knew  he  suffered  with  them,  and 
had  borne  up  with  Christian  fortitude  in  his 
own  intense  sorrow,  deeper  than  any  of  them 
had  known.  He  won  all  classes  into  loving 
sympathy  with  the  Church  of  Christ  Uni- 
versal. 

There  are  many  who  have  been  driven  away 
from  the  Church  and  from  Christ  by  these 
very  mysteries  of  sorrow  and  the  perplexing 
distresses  of  personal  grief;  but  we  may  re- 
gain them  if  we  will  patiently  serve. 

Sometimes  a  disgrace  is  associated  with 
estrangement.  Sometimes  the  mind  is  not  nor- 
mal. There  are  all  kinds  of  conditions,  and 
men  cannot  understand,  and  their  hearts  cry 
out  to  God,  "How  long,  how  long!"  They 
need  human,  intelligent  sympathy,  and  some 
one  to  lead  them  to  The  Man  of  Sorrows. 


Regaining  Men  205 

Oh,  how  many  people  there  are  in  this  world 
who  need  help  because  they  have  been  driven 
away  by  the  worldly  interpretation  of  a  Divine 
revelation.  They  fail  to  see  the  colour  blended 
in  the  rainbow,  arching  and  uniting  earth  and 
heaven,  because  the  sun  shines  through  the 
storm. 

There  is  another  class  of  people  who  are  sub- 
ject to  surroundings  of  evil  temptations  and 
bad  companions.  One  Sunday  Evil 
night,  at  the  evening  service,  I  was  companions 
speaking  upon  "  Getting  the  Right  Start." 
Among  other  things  I  said :  ''  If  any  of  you 
young  men  are  in  bad  boarding-houses,  get 
out  of  them.  If  you  are  surrounded  by  in- 
fluences where  you  cannot  serve  Christ,  get 
away  from  those  influences."  Three  different 
young  men  have  spoken  of  these  words  since, — 
two  by  letter  and  one  in  person.  One  said : 
"  You  drove  in  that  nail  right  to  the  head. 
The  trouble  is,  I  did  not  want  to  get  out  of  my 
surroundings,  but  I  have  gotten  out,  and  I  feel 
more  a  man."  The  other  two  men  wrote  that 
the  single  sentence  as  to  changing  boarding- 
houses  had  solved  for  them  the  problem. 

This  has  taught  me  a  lesson.  Right  among 
us  are  thousands  of  men  who  are  surrounded  by 
those  who  are  keeping  them  away  from  Christ, 


2o6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

and  they  need  the  companionship  of  some  one 
who  will  bring  them  to  Christ. 

Take  the  college  problem.  Our  Yonug- 
Men's  Christian  Associations  in  the  colleges, 
The  college  realising  the  work  they  can  do,  be- 
probiem  gjj-j  vv^ork  early  with  the  men.  They 

cannot  begin  too  soon  to  tie  up  good  compan- 
ions to  the  freshmen.  To  associate  them  with 
the  right  kind  of  men  at  the  very  beginning 
of  the  course,  during  the  first  weeks.  The  first 
four  weeks  in  college  has  more  to  do  with  the 
future  of  many  students  than  all  the  rest  of  the 
time  put  together.  This  is  especially  true 
where  men  are  rushed  and  pledged  at  once  to 
the  fraternities. 

Are  we  careful  enough  to  see  who  chums 
with  that  boy?     Why  not  plan  the  campaign? 

Again,  it  is  true  that  thousands  of  young 
men  are  coming  to  the  city  month  after  month 
into  new  surroundings.  Many  of  them  have 
come  from  Christian  influences,  but  they  will 
soon  drift  into  sin  unless  associated  with  true 
companions.  They  have  been  identified  with 
the  Church  of  God  in  the  old  home,  where  re- 
ligion and  the  services  of  the  church  had  been 
the  habit  of  their  lives,  but  they  find  themselves 
suddenly  in  a  whirlwind  of  activity,  rushing  on 
without  a  thought  of  God  or  His  Church.     A 


Regaining  Men  207 

few  months,  sometimes  a  few  weeks,  and  they 
are  lost  amid  the  throng.  They  must  be  sought 
out,  regained,  and  associated  with  those  who 
are  ahve  for  Jesus  Christ. 

We  have  no  right  to  overlook  another  large 
class  who  are  the  rightful  and  choice  inher- 
itance of  the  Christian  Church.  The  sons 
We  refer  to  the  sons  and  daugh-  tert  of^t^" 
ters,  the  grandsons  and  the  grand-  Church 
daughters,  of  those  who  a  generation  ago  were 
the  reliable  and  honoured  leaders  and  constitu- 
ents of  the  Church.  The  downtown  church 
has  a  smaller  proportion  of  these  to-day  than 
the  rapidly  growing  prosperous  suburban 
church.  The  very  transfer  of  home  and  prop- 
erty has  had  much  to  do  with  this.  The  old 
residences  are  now  down  town.  Some  of  them 
have  been  sold  for  boarding-houses,  rooming- 
houses,  or  have  been  reconstructed  into  small 
apartment  houses,  or  torn  down  and  replaced 
for  business  or  manufacturing  purposes.  With 
the  old  homestead  many  of  the  old  traditions 
and  customs  have  gone.  The  new  surround- 
ings have  been  fascinating  and  controlling. 
Many  have  gone  from  the  old  home  to  the  col- 
lege or  university,  to  return  after  four  or  seven 
years  in  academic  study,  perhaps  a  longer  time 
spent  in  travel.     During  those  years  changes 


2o8  Recruiting  for  Christ 

have  come,  friendships  have  scattered,  associ- 
ations been  broken.  Soon  individual  homes 
have  been  started,  the  young  people  have  gone 
with  the  current.  The  attractive  plans  which 
the  young  architect  has  drawn  up  appeal  to 
all  that  is  artistic  and  homelike.  There  is  a 
bit  of  landscape  gardening  thrown  in  on  a 
small  scale.  It  is  only  thirty-five  minutes  from 
down  town.  Transportation  facilities  are  ex- 
cellent. 

Or,  they  have  gone  out  into  the  new  apart- 
ments. A  great  choice  of  selection  is  theirs. 
Hundreds  of  these  splendid  buildings  have 
gone  up  rapidly.  The  servant  question  will 
not  trouble  them.  The  problem  of  dirt  and 
dust  is  reduced,  and  two  or  three  college  chums 
are  going  to  be  only  a  building  or  two  away. 

The    young    church    in   the    community    is 

struggling,    although    assured    of    a    splendid 

The  future.     It   is   not   considered   the 

suburban  ,  .  1,1 

church  thmg  to  go  to  church  out  here  as 

it  used  to  be.  Upon  accepting  the  invitation 
of  a  friend  for  a  Sunday  morning  service  they 
met  conditions  different  from  any  they  had  ever 
experienced.  The  choir  could  not  touch  the 
splendid  quartet  of  the  old  home  church.  Per- 
haps they  failed  to  realise  that  their  standard 
of  judgment  as  to  music  was  far  in  advance 


Regaining  Men  209 

over  that  of  the  pre-college  days.  The  min- 
ister may  have  been  judged  by  a  similar  un- 
just standard.  The  fact  of  it  is  they  are  out 
of  sympathy  with  church-going.  It  is  no 
longer  an  accepted  condition  of  duty.  It  is  no 
longer  a  habit. 

We  cannot  deny  that  such  illustrations  may 
be  multiplied  by  the  hundred  everywhere. 
Neither  can  we  deny  that  there  are  among  these 
people  the  descendants  of  the  very  best  leaders 
the  Church  of  God  has  ever  known.  We  con- 
tend that  these  people  are  worth  working  for. 
They  deserve  our  patient,  persistent  effort. 
Their  parents  and  grandparents  deserve  it. 
Many  of  our  older  churches  were  built  by  the 
self-denial  of  the  forebears  of  these  very  peo- 
ple. If  once  won,  they  will  soon  find  their 
place  of  responsibility  and  leadership.  They 
have  the  very  blood  of  the  Church  in  their 
veins.  What  if  they  do  speak  lightly  of  sacred 
matters?  It  is  not  intentional  irreverence.  It 
is  the  natural  expression  of  their  thoughtless- 
ness. When  the  serious  side  of  it  all  appeals 
to  them,  they  will  be  the  most  dependable  men 
and  women  the  Church  possesses,  ^  discrim- 
for  they  have  behind  them  the  ination 
heritage  of  countless  unanswered  prayers,  and 
a  covenant-keeping  God.    You  may  not  be  able 


210  Recruiting  for  Christ 

to  attend  quite  so  many  public  meetings 
or  conventions  if  you  go  in  to  win  them. 
It  will  mean  many  an  evening  spent  in  a 
home  in  quiet  conversation  and  friendliness, 
instead  of  public  recognition  and  applause, 
but  it  will  pay.  It  is  needed  to-day  fully  as 
much  as  the  rescue  work  in  the  great  mission 
among  the  outcasts.  True,  it  has  not  the 
same  fascination  nor  recognition.  It  is  far 
easier  to  pray  kneeling  at  a  wooden  bench 
than  kneeling  on  a  Persian  rug.  It  is  easier 
to  put  your  hand  of  sympathy  on  the 
shoulder  of  a  forlorn  "  down-and-out,"  than  it 
is  to  touch  the  heart  of  a  successful  young 
merchant  or  professional  man.  But  the 
Saviour  who  sought  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
sought  Zaccheus  and  dined  in  his  home.  The 
Saviour  who  told  the  story  of  the  prodigal  son 
appealed  to  the  rich  young  ruler  and  reasoned 
with  him,  and  it  is  our  duty  as  Christian  men 
to  enlist  in  the  ranks  of  the  Church  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  God's  honoured  soldiers  and 
warriors  of  the  past. 

There  are  Sons  and  Daughters  of  His  Rev- 
elation, as  well  as  Sons  and  Daughters  of  our 
Revolution. 


X 
FOLLOWING  UP  THE  WORK 


"  When  Jesus  knew  that  His  hour  was  come, — having 
loved  His  own, — He  loved  them  unto  the  end." — 
John  13:  I. 

"  It  is  finished." — Jesus  Christ. 

"  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things,  and 
I  will  be  his  God  and  he  shall  be  My  son." — Revelation 
21:  7. 

**  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death." — Revelation  2:  10 

« 

"  Every  noble  work  is  at  first  impossible." — Carlyle. 

"  If  knowledge  is  power,  patience  is  powerful." — 
Robert  Hall. 

"  There  is  no  well-doing,  no  God-like  doing,  that  is 
not  patient  doing." — Dr.  Holland. 


X 
FOLLOWING  UP  THE  WORK 

IT  is  one  thing  to  win  men  to  Christ,  and 
another,  we  are  told,  to  win  them  for 
service.  But,  is  it  another  thing?  Or,  at 
least,  should  it  be?  Saul  of  Tarsus  said: 
"Who  art  thou.  Lord?"  That  was  his  first 
question.  His  second  had  to  do  salvation 
with  activity.  "  Lord,  what  wilt  and  service 
thou  have  me  do?  "  When  a  man  believes  in 
Jesus  Christ  and  accepts  Him  as  his  Master, 
he  is  not  interested  in  the  mere  philosophy  of 
religion,  but  he  is  interested  immediately  in  a 
philosophy  of  service.  The  greatest  work  of 
the  Church  of  Christ  is  the  extension  of  His 
Kingdom.  But  extensive  work  begins  with  in- 
tensive affection.  And  intensive  affection  in- 
variably leads  to  extensive  activity.  The  work 
of  the  Church  is  to  place  those  who  have  come 
into  her  membership  in  permanent  service. 

We  have  already  dealt  with  the  man  who  has 
discontinued  or  strayed,  or  lost  his  ardour.   We 
are  now  considering  the  man  who  has  come 
213 


214  Recruiting  for  Christ 

into  the  Church.  How  can  he  be  held  and  de- 
veloped ? 

What  is  joining  the  Church,  is  it  a  means  or 
an  end ?     "A  means,"   you   reply.     Yes,  but 

Joining  ^  lot  of  us  seem  to  think  it  is  an 
the  Church  q^^^^  ^g  ^  woman  once  said  to 
me :  "  Now  that  my  boy  has  joined  the  Church, 
he  will  surely  be  safe  for  life."  When  I  re- 
plied, ''  Don't  you  believe  it ;  he  has  only 
started,"  she  seemed  surprised,  and  wanted  me 
to  explain. 

Uniting  with  a  church  is  a  means  to  an  end. 
When  a  man  comes  into  the  Church  he  has  only 
started.  His  work  has  only  begun,  and  it  is 
the  business  of  all  of  us  who  are  in  the  Church 
to  see  that  he  is  kept  by  the  power  of  God  and 
trained  to  become  an  efficient  workman.  Still, 
many  come  into  the  Church  and  stop  there, 
thinking  it  is  the  final  instead  of  the  initial  step. 
As  if  a  man  received  his  diploma  as  soon  as  he 
matriculated  at  college!  His  very  matricula- 
tion implies  a  long  and  steady  course  of  study. 
And  that  course  of  study  in  itself  is  simply  a 
means  to  an  end,  for  it  is  to  fit  him  for  his  life 
work. 

Who  would  think  of  putting  lambs  out  to 
pasture,  and  then  leaving  them  unguarded  and 
alone,  upon  the  ground  that  they  were  safe 


Following  up  the  Work  215 

enough  simply  because  they  were  within  the 
enclosure,  and  had  passed  through  the  entrance 
bars.  Confessing  Christ  is  only  the  beginning, 
the  passing  through  the  gateway.  Every  night 
the  faithful  Shepherd  folds  those  lambs,  and 
all  through  the  weeks  and  years  there  must  be 
the  Christian  training  in  and  out  of  the  church. 
Food  and  work  which  must  mean  growth  and 
development. 

The  statistical  reports  of  our  churches  natu- 
rally influence  us  to  lay  much  stress  upon  the 
importance  of   large  additions  to  church 

membership,  but  there  are  no  statistlcg 
statistical  incentives  to  follow  this  work  up. 
Here  we  are  liable  to  fail.  An  increased  mem- 
bership without  corresponding  spiritual  and 
practical  growth  represents  dead  wood  instead 
of  living  timber. 

In  Brown  Memorial  Church  in  Baltimore 
for  many  years  we  had  a  printed  list  of  all  the 
varied  activities  of  the  local  church,  Every  one 
the  denomination,  the  church  at  **  ^^^^ 
large,  city  philanthropies,  settlements.  Chris- 
tian associations,  charity  organisations.  All 
who  came  into  the  church  were  asked  to  check 
up  the  work  they  were  willing  to  undertake, 
and  were  immediately  referred  to  the  one  hav- 
ing  that   particular   work   in   charge.     Some 


2i6  Recruiting  for  Christ 

worked  in  the  Sunday  school,  some  in  the  mis- 
sionary societies,  others  in  the  hospitals,  mis- 
sion schools,  training  classes;  in  fact,  all  over 
the  city.  Many  were  friendly  visitors  under 
the  city  charity  organisation.  This  work  was 
carefully  followed  up  by  an  efficient  leader  in 
each  particular  field.  So  varied  are  the  oppor- 
tunities offered  in  a  large  city  that  individual 
temperaments  and  abilities  may  each  exercise 
the  largest  possible  personal  influence.  Thus 
a  missionary  in  Central  India,  or  a  local  news- 
boy on  the  street,  may  be  the  recipient  of  active 
church  assistance.  Such  work  is  contagious. 
The  man  or  woman  who  is  not  busy  about 
something  which  counts  becomes  the  exception, 
and  the  inclination,  as  well  as  reputation  of  a 
church  seems  to  call  for  individual  cooperation. 
Such  work,  however,  must  always  be  tem- 
pered with  wisdom  and  sanity,  as  well  as  eager- 
ness to  engage  all  in  activity,  for  we  must 
never  disregard  the  far  greater  need  of  faith- 
ful and  patient  work  within  the  home  circle. 
Phillips  Brooks  wisely  cautioned  us  to  remem- 
ber the  importance  of  caring  for  our  appointed 
work  first;  for  the  work  of  a  mother  in  the 
home,  or  a  clerk  in  the  store,  or  bank,  is  just 
as  much  a  part  of  Christian  service  as  the  ex- 
ternal which  commands  more  marked  attention. 


Following  up  the  Work  217 

This  should  not  deter  us,  however,  from 
reahsing  that  our  work  as  Christian  leaders  is 
not  finished  when  we  get  people  into  the 
Church.  The  mere  public  confession  of 
Christ  is  not  enough.  We  must  tie  them  up 
to  wise  activity. 

Criticisms  have  arisen  very  generally  as  to 

the    multiplicity     of     Church     organisations. 

Many  affirm  that  an  over-emphasis 

,  ,  .  .       .       Organisations 

has    been    given    to    organisation. 

Some  churches,  we  hear,  are  ahve  externally, 
but  dead  at  the  heart.  There  is  reason  for 
this.  The  Church  is  cold  and  useless  if  it  is 
calling  attention  to  machinery  and  organisation 
rather  than  to  life  and  human  need.  The 
business  which  is  successful  permanently  is  not 
a  mere  matter  of  personal  advertisement.  Su- 
perior production  is  self -advertising.  Where 
raw  material  is  being  transformed  into  superla- 
tive finished  product,  the  public  are  asking 
questions,  and  the  axiom  holds  good — ^that 
"  deeds  speak  louder  than  words."  Those  who 
are  doing  the  most  real  work  in  the  world  are 
those  who  have  the  least  time  to  talk  about  it. 
The  church  well  organised  and 
systematically  governed  and  reg- 
ulated is  usually  the  useful  church  in  the 
community,  but  there  is  no  need  of  advertising 


2i8  RecFuitIng  for  Christ 

the  organisation  and  system,  for  such  publicity 
attracts  men  to  the  material  rather  than  to  the 
spiritual  side.  It  tends  to  distract  from  the 
real  mission  of  Christianity,  and  creates  self- 
satisfaction,  pride,  and  egotism.  The  best  pos- 
sible organisation  is  that  which  is  not  seen.  The 
gestures  of  the  truly  eloquent  are  not  noticed. 
The  machinery  of  a  spiritual  church  is  driven 
by  an  Unseen  Power.  The  world  sees  the  prod- 
uct and  believes,  but  the  machinery  is  behind 
closed  doors,  and  scarcely  the  hum  of  the 
wheels  heard  without. 

A  large  church  which  had  received  members 
by  the  hundred  recently  found  upon  examina- 
tion that  almost  half  of  those  who  had  united 
within  the  past  five  years  were  unknown  to  any 
member  of  the  session,  and  the  pastor  himself 
could  give  no  information  whatever  as  to  a 
large  number.  This  led  to  two  things :  A  com- 
mittee of  visitation  was  appointed,  which  found 
that  many  of  these  new  members  had  dropped 
out  of  the  church  life,  ceasing  even  to  attend 
services  within  a  few  months  from  the  time 
they  united.  The  general  impression  had  gone 
out  throughout  the  community  that  the  pastor 
was  simply  interested  in  urging  strangers  to 
join  the  church.  Homes  which  he  had  entered 
repeatedly  with  this  in  view  had  not  been  en- 


Following  up  the  Work  219 

tered  for  years  after  they  had  been  admitted. 
Frequently   those    who   had    united   with    the 
church  were  addressed  by  him  and  members 
of  his  session,  as  well  as  by  prominent  members 
of  his  church,  as  if  they  were  total  strangers, 
and  in  some  instances  had  been  urged  to  unite 
with  the  church  of  which  they  were  already 
members.     It  also  led  to  a  revolution  in  the 
working  policy  of  pastor,  session,  and  people. 
Instead  of  continuing  in  this  extensive  solicita- 
tion,  they  began  to  work  among  their  own 
members  and  to  become  better  acquainted.    Re- 
ceptions were  held  for  those  who  had  come  into 
the  church  recently.     Systematic  calling  was 
done  by  older  members  upon  more  recent  com- 
municants.    Although  the  church  continued  to 
grow    numerically,     a    very    different    spirit 
quickly  prevailed.     The  Sunday  school  began 
to  increase,  as  well  as  the  prayer  meeting;  al- 
though fewer  came  into  the  church,  the  congre- 
gations became  much  larger.     The  offerings 
increased,    and   the   general   influence   of   the 
church  was  manifestly  felt. 

A  working  church  without  doubt  is  a  win- 
some force  in  a  community,  but  it  is  just  as 
much  the  duty  of  the  church  to  work  with  its 
own  as  to  work  outside  its  own.  We  live  in 
an  age  of  team  work.     The  church  that  sue- 


220  Recruiting  for  Christ 

ceeds  with  superlative  results  is  the  church 
which  trains  every  member  to  become  a  work- 
man. 

No  football  captain  could  hold  his  influence 
through  a  second  game  if  he  did  not  lead  his 
men  to  work  in  a  unit,  and  he  would  not  be  a 
successful  captain  if  he  did  not  discover  the 
weak  man  in  his  team,  and  strengthen  or  re- 
move him. 

As  leaders  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  we  must 
use  the  same  methods.  In  the  very  forefront 
of  the  work  ourselves,  we  must  train  men  to 
work  with  us.  Those  men  will  train  others  to 
work  with  them,  and  before  we  are  aware  of  it, 
the  Church  will  be  a  great  working  internal 
force,  strengthening  itself  as  it  works  with  a 
unity  of  purpose  and  effort  in  gaining  the 
ground  of  the  enemy. 

A  rather  discouraging  condition  not  infre- 
quently experienced  to-day  is  that  of  a  large 
membership  of  men  with  scarcely  any  who  are 
fitted  or  willing  to  take  responsible  positions, 
especially  to  fill  offices  of  spiritual  trust.  We 
know  of  churches  where  there  are  strong 
brotherhoods  and  men's  associations  in  which 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  find  any  strong  char- 
acters to  fill  vacancies  on  the  official  boards  of 
the  church.     Men  have  united  and  been  mem- 


Following  up  the  Work  221 

bers  for  years  and  even  decades,  but  they  seem 
to  be  just  about  where  they  were  years  before. 

The  wisdom  of  giving  proper  attention  to 
the  boys  and  young  men  applies  here.  The 
bright  lads  who  are  growing  so  rapidly,  whom 
we  see  in  short  trousers  to-day,  and  long  trou- 
sers to-morrow,  are  the  ones  we  mean.  With 
these  boys  lies  the  future  of  the  Church.  To 
hold  them  and  train  them  is  the  priceless  priv- 
ilege of  older  men.  Time  spent  with  them  in 
spiritual  training  will  return  a  hundred  fold. 
Realising  the  importance  of  work  among  a  lit- 
tle older  class,  one  of  our  city  churches  has  this 
last  winter  attained  definite  and  large  results. 
Under  the  Men's  Club  about  twenty  young 
men  met  for  lunch  each  week  in  one  of  the 
central  down  town  hotels.  They  had  a  room 
to  themselves.  The  lunch  was  provided  by  an 
interested  member  of  the  club.  They  met 
promptly  at  12  :30  for  one  hour.  The  pastor 
of  the  church  always  met  with  them  as  well  as 
the  president  of  the  club.  It  was  understood 
that  any  man  who  had  a  shorter  time  was  at  lib- 
erty to  leave  at  will.  This  particular  church 
was  located  in  the  centre  of  a  neighbourhood  of 
thousands  of  young  men  who  filled  the  board- 
ing- and  rooming-houses  for  blocks  about. 

Utilising  three  or  four  of  their  number  who 


222  Recruiting  for  Christ 

had  more  time  than  others,  a  thorough  canvass 
of  every  house  in  each  block  was  made.  The 
work  was  done  so  systematically  and  followed 
up  so  accurately  by  means  of  special  diagrams 
and  card  indexes,  that  everything  was  checked 
up  week  by  week.  Each  week,  from  fifty  to 
a  hundred  new  names  were  wisely  distributed 
among  the  various  members  of  the  committee, 
discriminating  in  appointing  men  of  certain 
characteristics  to  call  upon  those  with  whom 
they  would  have  the  greatest  natural  influence. 
These  cards  were  filled  out  and  returned  the 
following  week,  with  such  information  as  could 
be  obtained  upon  the  initial  visit.  All  this  was 
done  without  obtrusive  publicity,  and  in  a 
manly  and  straightforward  spirit.  Cases  of 
loneliness,  discouragement,  and  special  need 
were  wisely  reported.  Sickness  and  sorrow 
received  immediate  and  sympathetic  attention. 
Spiritual  help  was  given  in  many  cases  when 
opportune.  What  has  been  the  result?  The 
Men's  Club  has  grown  to  an  active  list  of  over 
seven  hundred  membership  within  eight 
months,  coming  into  direct  contact  with  over  a 
thousand  young  men.  Several  of  the  public 
meetings  of  the  club  for  men  only  have  been 
attended  by  over  three  hundred  men.  The 
Sunday  evening  services,  under  the  care  of  the 


Following  up  the  Work  223 

club,  have  been  largely  attended,  with  a  propor- 
tion of  more  than  two-thirds  young  men  pres- 
ent. Conversions  have  resulted  week  after 
week  through  the  personal  work  of  this  com- 
mittee and  other  members.  Over  fifty  of  those 
who  have  united  with  the  church  during  the 
year  were  directly  reached  through  this  agency. 
Another  feature  has  developed  which  is  en- 
couraging. The  pastor  has  received  letters 
from  far-away  New  England  farms,  from  the 
extreme  West,  from  the  South,  and  from 
nearby  villages,  from  grateful  parents  and 
friends,  enclosing  in  many  instances  letters 
from  the  young  men  themselves.  Some  of 
these  letters  would  bring  tears  to  the  eyes  of 
any  one :  ''  My  boy  has  been  in  your  city  for 
five  years.  His  father  and  I  sometimes  feared 
we  had  almost  lost  him,  but  every  night  he  had 
his  own  place  in  our  prayers.  You  perhaps  may 
know  something  of  the  joy  that  came  to  our 
hearts  when  we  received  the  enclosed  letter. 
We  can  never  thank  the  young  men  of  your 
church  for  what  they  have  done  for  him.  His 
letter  will  show  you  how  close  he  feels  to  the 
Men's  Club  in  your  church.  And  to  think 
that  he  confessed  Christ  last  Sunday  morning. 
Our  hearts  are  too  happy  to  tell  you  how  we 
feel,  but  may  God  bless  you  and  the  young  men 


224  Recruiting  for  Christ 

who  are  working  with  you.  We  wish  our 
boy  in  the  Far  West  could  be  in  your  city,  too." 
This  letter  is  typical. 

A  phase  of  this  work  which  has  deepened 
its  power  will  never  be  known  in  its  far-reach- 
ing influence,  for  many  of  these  very  young 
men  have  been  trained  as  never  before  for 
others,  and  prayer  and  personal  work  have  gone 
hand  in  hand. 

But  it  is  not  enough  merely  to  lead  men  to 
confess  Christ.  We  must  follow  the  work  up, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  prompt  men  to  study, 
pray,  and  work  for  others.  If,  as  men  within 
the  Church  of  Christ,  we  can  bring  about  this 
condition,  differences  and  littlenesses  will  dis- 
appear; glowing  coals,  close  to  one  another,  will 
grow  brighter  and  brighter.  White  heat  will 
radiate  a  warmth  and  glow  whch  will  attract 
and  bless,  and  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  will 
become  the  fireside  where  son  and  stranger  are 
always  equally  welcome;  a  place  where  mag- 
netism of  human  sympathy  blends  with  the 
power  of  the  Son  of  God. 


Princeton  Theological ,  Seminarv  ybraries 


1012  01235  9057 


Date  Due 


:;)5'.->:«:*>^ 


